OLYMPIA, Wash. – Unlike the US Supreme Court, which is several steps removed from the voting public by design, the Washington State Supreme Court is an elected judicial body. Voters will have the opportunity to select a justice this year.
Justice Susan Owens is constitutionally required to leave her position now that she is turning 75 this year, leaving Justice Position 2 up for grabs for a six-year term.
Four people are registered candidates for the position with the Washington Secretary of State’s Office. While they can seek endorsements from members of major political parties,
Sal Mungia has secured an endorsement from outgoing Justice Owens, in addition to Chief Justice González and six other members of the court. He is also endorsed by Governor Jay Inslee (D), Attorney General Bob Ferguson (D), Speaker of the Washington Legislature Laurie Jinkins (D) and the Washington Labor Council. He served a year-long term as the president of the Washington State Bar Association beginning in 2009.
A current member of the Washington Bar Association Board of Governors, Todd Bloom, took a leave of absence to run for the position. Bloom is a distinguished Navy veteran who currently offers legal services to high income families and private business owners.
Federal Way Municipal Court Judge Dave Larson is also running for the position. He has been a municipal court judge since 2008 and is an active member of the Kiwanis Foundation.
David Shelvey, a family law and estate planning attorney, is also running for the position.
While three Supreme Court positions are up for election this year, two of them are uncontested.
It is a general norm in Washington judicial politics for sitting justices to run for reelection without opponents, as is the case in 2024. Chief Justice Steven González and Justice Sheryl Gordon McCloud will be the only candidates in their respective races on the general election ballot in November.
