Washington judicial elections, 2012

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Judicial Elections
Judicial elections, 2012
Judicial election dates

The Washington judicial elections consisted of a primary on August 7 and a general election on November 6, 2012.[1]

## Washington judicial elections summary, 2012

|  |  Supreme  |  Appellate  |  Trial

|
|
|

Total candidates  |  9  |  14 |  100
Unopposed candidates  |  0 |  6 |  28
Judges re-elected |  2 |  7 |  39
Judges not re-elected |  0 |  0 |  2
New judges elected |  1 |  1 |  19
Partisan or Nonpartisan |  | Nonpartisan |

## Supreme Court[edit]

Candidate| Incumbency| Office| Primary Vote| Election Vote

|
|
|
|

HilyerBruce Hilyer | No| Position 9| 25.6%|
DanielsonBruce O. Danielson | No| Position 8| 43.1%|
McQuaidDouglas W. McQuaid | No| Position 2| 24.14%|
LadenburgJohn Ladenburg | No| Position 9| 15.31%|
SandersRichard Sanders | No| Position 9| 27.48%A| 44.76% D
StafneScott Stafne | No| Position 2| 12.36%|
McCloudSheryl McCloud A| No| Position 9| 31.61%A| 55.24% A
GonzalezSteven Gonzalez A| Yes| Position 8| 56.9%A| 100% A
OwensSusan Owens A| Yes| Position 2| 63.5%A| 100% A

## Court of Appeals[edit]

### Division 1[edit]

Candidate| Incumbency| Office| Primary Vote| Election Vote

|
|
|
|

AppelwickMarlin Appelwick A| Yes| Division 1| 100%A| 100% A
BeckerMary Kay Becker A| Yes| Division 1| 100%A| 100% A
CoxRonald Cox A| Yes| Division 1| 100%A| 100% A

### Division 2[edit]

Candidate| Incumbency| Office| Primary Vote| Election Vote

|
|
|
|

Brendan Williams | | | |
Quinn-BrintnallChristine Quinn-Brintnall A| Yes| Division 2| 100%A| 100% A
FoleyJim Foley (Washington) | No| District 2| 14.69%|
PenoyarJoel Penoyar A| Yes| Division 2| 100%A| 100% A
LynchMichael Lynch (Washington) | No| District 2| 13.69%|
LoginskyPamela Loginsky | No| District 2| 27.57%A| 47.69% D
BjorgenThomas Bjorgen A| No| District 2| 18.18%A| 52.31% A
Weaver, Jr.Thomas E. Weaver, Jr. | No| District 2| 10.18%|

### Division 3[edit]

Candidate| Incumbency| Office| Primary Vote| Election Vote

|
|
|
|

PoulsonDevin Poulson | No| District 3| 41.49%|
SiddowayLaurel Siddoway A| Yes| Division 3| 100%A| 100% A
KulikTeresa Kulik A| Yes| Division 3| 58.81%A| 100% A

## Superior Courts[edit]

For information on the Superior Court elections, visit: Washington judicial elections, 2012 - Superior Courts.

## District Courts[edit]

For information on the District Court elections, visit: Washington judicial elections, 2012 - District Courts.

## In the news[edit]

### Washington election recap, 2012[edit]

New judges were elected across the board in Washington this year. On the Supreme Court, public defender Sheryl McCloud was elected to Position 9, defeating Richard Sanders. On the Court of Appeals, former Assistant Attorney General Thomas Bjorgen was elected to District 2 after defeating Pamela Loginsky. In the state's trial court races there were 19 new judges elected.

Only three Washington incumbents left office this year. The first two were John P. Wulle of the Clark Superior Court and Beverly G. Grant of the Pierce County Superior Court. Both of these incumbents lost in the primary election on August 7th. The third incumbent to be defeated was King County Superior Court Judge Christopher A. Washington, who was defeated in the November 6th general election by Sue Parisien who won the race by one percentage point.

### Washington Supreme Court race[edit]

As featured in JP Election Brief: The Supreme Court Special on October 18, 2012.

Former Justice Richard Sanders, a fifteen-year veteran of the Washington Supreme Court, is attempting to reclaim a seat on the high court. Sanders lost his bid for re-election in 2010 by a narrow margin. In the general election, he will face Sheryl McCloud, who has been endorsed by Washington Governor Chris Gregoire and the Seattle Times.

### Residency challenged in Superior Court race[edit]

As featured in JP Election Brief: Alabama dollars to Washington lawsuits (and more!) on October 4, 2012.

In the race for Thurston County Superior Court in Washington, Christine Schaller will face Jim Johnson for the vacant Position 2 seat in the general election on November 6. However, Schaller's candidacy has been challenged by a group that includes Johnson, the two other candidates who ran against Schaller in the primary (Marie Clarke and Victor M. Minjares) and a local attorney. The group allege that Schaller is ineligible for the position because she lives in Pierce County, not Thurston County. They said that state law requires candidates to live in the county in which they wish to serve. Schaller, a former resident of Thurston County, said that "the state constitution has no such requirement for judicial candidates and...the constitution trumps state law."[2]

At the end of August, Judge Sally Olsen of the Kitsap County Superior Court ruled that Schaller is eligible to run for the position, finding that the only requirement the state's constitution imposes on potential judicial candidates is that they be licensed to practice law in the state of Washington.[2]

Now, the group challenging Schaller's candidacy has asked the Washington State Supreme Court to review Judge Olsen's ruling. The high court will hear oral arguments in the case on October 18.[2]

### Preview of Washington's general election appellate court races[edit]

As featured in JP Election Brief: High court races setting the tone on August 23, 2012.

Following the state primary election held on August 7, the race was over for many judicial candidates in Washington state, win or lose. However, two appellate court races have yet to be determined, and will be decided in the general election on November 6, 2012.

Washington Supreme Court, Position 9

Sheryl McCloud received 28.93% of the vote in her campaign for Position 9 on the state Supreme Court.[3] She received an undergraduate degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo and a J.D. from the University of Southern California School of Law. Over the course of her career, she has worked as a public defender and as an attorney in private practice.[4] McCloud has been endorsed by the Seattle Times, the Spokane Spokesman-Review, and numerous Democratic Party organizations, in addition to several retired justices of the Washington Supreme Court.[5]

Richard Sanders received 28.49% of the vote in his campaign to rejoin the state Supreme Court.[3] Sanders holds both an undergraduate degree and a J.D. from the University of Washington. He served as a justice on the Washington Supreme Court from 1995 to 2011, and previously worked in private practice.[6] Sanders has been endorsed by the Association of Washington Business, several current and former justices of the Washington Supreme Court, the Washington State Republican Party, and U.S. Representative Ron Paul.[7]

Washington Court of Appeals, Division 2

Thomas Bjorgen received 18.21% of the vote in the race for the Division 2 seat on the state Court of Appeals.[3] Bjorgen earned his undergraduate degree from Washington State University, and holds a J.D. from the University of Washington School of Law. During his legal career, he has worked as state Assistant Attorney General, as counsel in the state legislature, and in private practice.[8] Bjorgen has been endorsed by several judges of the Court of Appeals, both former and present, as well as the Washington Federation of State Employees (Local 443), the Nisqually Tribe, and the Washington Conservation Voters.[9]

Pamela Loginsky received 26.76% of the vote in the primary race for the Court of Appeals, Division 2.[3] She has served as the Staff Attorney for the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys since 1999, and has served as a prosecutor or special prosecutor for counties across Division 2.[10] Loginsky's campaign has been endorsed by several judges from Washington state, as well as the National Women's Political Caucus, the Mason County Republican Party, and the Liability Reform Coalition.[11]

### Washington won't mail Voters' Guide before primary[edit]

As featured in JP Election Brief: Results from Texas and Georgia (and more!) on August 2, 2012.

The Washington Secretary of State's Office will not print and mail a Voters' Guide to the state's voters ahead of the primary election on August 7. A spokesman from the office has estimated that printing the guide for the primary would have cost about $1 million. Many counties are still planning to publish election information, and they are free to include information on the state and federal primary election if they choose.[12]

Washington voters can find full ballot information for the primary on the website of Washington Secretary of State Sam Reed or at Voting for Judges.org, a nonpartisan site dedicated to educating Washington's voters about judicial elections. Primary information for Superior Court races can be found on Judgepedia at Washington judicial elections, 2012 - Superior Courts.

The state is still planning to distribute a Voters' Guide for the general election in November.[12] Analysis of any potential negative effects of eliminating these primary mailings has not been conducted.[13]

### Washington Supreme Court candidates collecting endorsements[edit]

As featured in JP Election Brief: Coast to coast coverage on June 21, 2012.

As Washington state's August 7 primary draws near, the endorsements have begun rolling in for the Washington State Supreme Court candidates.

Position 2

Incumbent Justice Susan Owens has reported endorsements by the Washington State Labor Council, the Washington chapter of the National Women's Political Caucus, the Washington State Troopers Association, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 483, and all eight justices currently sitting on the Washington Supreme Court. Justice Owens has also been endorsed by various judges and citizens from throughout the state.[14]

Position 8

Late last month, incumbent Justice Steven Gonzalez was endorsed by the Association of Washington Business.[15] Justice Gonzalez has also been endorsed by the Washington State Council of Firefighters, numerous trade unions, NARAL Pro-Choice Washington, the Seattle Building Trades Council, the Teamsters Locals, and the Teamsters Joint Council, in addition to present and past judges from across Washington.[16]

Position 9

Candidate Bruce Hilyer was endorsed in his Supreme Court bid this week by The Seattle Times.[17] He has also received the endorsement of the Washington State Patrol Troopers Association, the King County Police Officers Guild, the King County Corrections Guild, the Washington State Labor Council, and the Council of Metropolitan Police and Sheriffs, in addition to the Associated General Contractors of Washington and NARAL Pro-Choice Washington.[18]

The American Federation of Teachers, the Black Collective, NARAL Pro-Choice Washington, the Retired Public Employees Council, the Washington State Labor Council, and various other Democratic groups have all endorsed another candidate, John Ladenburg.[19]

Sheryl McCloud, also competing for Position 9, has been endorsed by the King County Democratic Central Committee, the King County Young Democrats, NARAL Pro-Choice Washington, and various Democratic groups from around the state. She has also been approved by the Kitsap County Democrats.[20]

Candidate and former state Supreme Court Justice Richard Sanders was endorsed by the Association of Washington Business in late May.[15] In addition, the Washington Realtors, the Washington Rental Housing Association, the Associated General Contractors, the Gun Owners Action League, the NRA, the Washington State Republican Party, and Representative Ron Paul have endorsed Sanders.[21]

All four candidates for Position 9 have also been endorsed by various judges and attorneys from across the state of Washington.

### Contested primaries set for Washington this August[edit]

As featured in JP Election Brief: All about appellate courts on May 24, 2012.

Nine candidates are filing for three seats on the Washington Supreme Court, and fifteen candidates are filing for seven Washington Court of Appeals races.

Supreme Court:

Justice Susan Owens has a term expiring in 2012. She has filed for re-election to the seat and will be challenged by Douglas W. McQuaid and Scott Stafne.

Justice Steven Gonzalez is running in his first election since his appointment in November 2011. He will be challenged by Bruce O. Danielson.

Four candidates are competing for the open seat of retiring Justice Tom Chambers: Sheryl McCloud, John Ladenburg, Bruce Hilyer and Richard Sanders.

Court of Appeals:

Two seats on the appellate court will be contested this year. One, that of retiring Judge David Armstrong, is on Division 2, District 2. Six candidates have filed for that race: Pamela Loginsky, Thomas Bjorgen, Michael Lynch, Thomas E. Weaver, Jr., Jim Foley and Brendan Williams.

The other is on Division 3, District 3 and is held by Teresa Kulik. Kulik will be challenged by Devin Poulson this year.

The following judges are running unopposed for re-election to the court:

* Ronald Cox \- Division 1, District 1, Position 4
* Marlin Appelwick \- Division 1, District 1, Position 7
* Mary Kay Becker \- Division 1, District 3, Position 1
* Christine Quinn-Brintnall \- Division 2, District 1, Position 3
* Joel Penoyar \- Division 2, District 3, Position 1
* Laurel Siddoway \- Division 3, District 1, Position 1

All candidate filing data is from the Washington Secretary of State, Primary Candidate Filing.

### Richard Sanders announces for Supreme Court[edit]

As featured in JP Election Brief: Florida gets ready as Alabama wraps up (and more!) on April 26, 2012.

Richard Sanders has announced his candidacy for Position 9 on the Washington State Supreme Court, the seat currently held by Justice Tom Chambers that will be left vacant when Chambers retires later this year.[22] Sanders will face Bruce Hilyer, John Ladenburg, and Sheryl McCloud in Washington's nonpartisan primary election on August 7, 2012.[23] If any one candidate receives over 50% of the vote, that candidate will be the new justice. If no candidate receives over 50% of the vote, the top two vote recipients will face each other in a runoff in the general election on November 6, 2012.[24]

Sanders has held a position on the state's highest court before. He served as a Washington Supreme Court justice from 1995 to 2010, when he was defeated in his bid for re-election by current Justice Charlie Wiggins, earning 49.66% of the vote to Wiggins' 50.34%.[25]

To learn more about Sanders' 2010 re-election race, read: Wiggins pulls ahead in close Supreme Court race, November 12, 2010.

## See also[edit]

* Washington judicial elections
* Judicial elections, 2012
* Judicial selection in Washington
* Campaign finance requirements for Washington judicial elections

## External links[edit]

* Elections Calendar
* Previous Elections Data
* US Elections: Washington
* American Judicature Society, "Judicial Selection in the States: Washington," archived January 11, 2014
* Fact sheet on judicial campaigns in Washington
* The Seattle Times "John Ladenburg running for state Supreme Court," June 29, 2011
* The News Tribune "John Ladenburg will run for state high court, not attorney general," June 30, 2011
* The Green Papers: Washington 2012 General Election

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ The Green Papers: Washington 2012 General Election
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 The Olympian, "Thurston County judge race in flux pending result of challenge," October 1, 2012
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Washington Secretary of State, 2012 Primary Results - Judicial
4. ↑ Sheryl Gordon McCloud for Supreme Court campaign website, About
5. ↑ Sheryl Gordon McCloud for Supreme Court campaign website, Endorsements
6. ↑ Re-Elect Justice Richard Sanders campaign website, Biography
7. ↑ Re-Elect Justice Richard Sanders campaign website, 2012 Endorsements
8. ↑ Thomas Bjorgen for Court of Appeals Judge campaign website, Experience
9. ↑ Thomas Bjorgen for Court of Appeals Judge campaign website, Endorsements
10. ↑ Pam Loginsky for Court of Appeals Judge campaign website
11. ↑ pamloginsky.com Pam Loginsky for Court of Appeals Judge campaign website, Endorsements
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Yakima Herald, "State, Yakima County cancel printed primary voters guide," June 14, 2012
13. ↑ Pew Center on the States, "Cutting election mailings to save money," July 31, 2012
14. ↑ Re-Elect Justice Susan Owens campaign website, Endorsements
15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Association of Washington Business, "AWB endorses Supreme Court candidates," May 29, 2012
16. ↑ Retain Justice Steve Gonzalez campaign website, Endorsements
17. ↑ Seattle Times, "The Times recommends: Judge Bruce Hilyer for state Supreme Court," June 19, 2012
18. ↑ Bruce Hilyer for Supreme Court campaign website, Endorsements
19. ↑ John Ladenburg for Washington State Supreme Court campaign website, Endorsements
20. ↑ Sheryl Gordon McCloud for Supreme Court campaign website, Endorsements
21. ↑ Re-Elect Justice Richard Sanders campaign website, Endorsements
22. ↑ Supreme Court of Washington Blog, "Richard Sanders to attempt return to Supreme Court," March 22, 2012
23. ↑ Voting for Judges.org, Washington Supreme Court
24. ↑ Judicial selection in Washington
25. ↑ Return Richard Sanders to the Supreme Court campaign website

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