Washington Courts: Judicial News Report Detail

Advisory: 47 Judicial Positions Contested In State Primary

Re-opened filing periods in two counties will boost the total of this year’s contested judicial elections to 47.

Filing for a newly created superior court judgeship in Thurston County opened today. Filing for a Grays Harbor district court position, created by the retirement of longtime judge Thomas L. Parker, will begin Monday. Parker announced his July 31 retirement two months ago.

Statewide, voters will decide who gets two Supreme Court, four Court of Appeals and 40 superior court positions. The Grays Harbor district court position will also be contested. No municipal court positions are up for election this year.

At the Supreme Court level, voters will decide between the incumbent chief justice Barbara Durham, and defense attorneys Mark Mestel, Seattle, and Kathryn Ross, Mukilteo. Justice Charles W. Johnson is opposed by lawyers Barnett N. Kalikow, Federal Way, and Douglas J. Smith, Everett. During last week’s regular filing period, no one filed against Justice Charles Z. Smith, whose position was also open this year.

Four Court of Appeals positions--two in Division III, Spokane, and two in Division II, Tacoma--are also contested.

In Division II, Court of Appeals Judge Elaine Houghton is opposed by Tacoma lawyers Bertha B. Fitzer and Robert J. Backstein. Incumbent Judge John E. Turner is opposed by lawyers Tom Bjorgen, Olympia, and Joyce "Robin" Hunt, Bainbridge Island. Statewide, four other appellate positions were up for election but no one filed against the incumbents

Legislative creation of a new position and the retirement of veteran Judge Ray E. Munson, set up two contested judicial races in Division III. Superior Court Judge Stephen M. Brown and Yakima attorney Joe Falk are running against one another. In the other position, candidates Susan Cawley, Wenatchee will face off against Yakima attorneys Blaine G. Gibson, Frank L. Kurtz and John Monter.

Of the 159 superior court positions up for election this year statewide, 40 will be contested. Candidates are listed below; incumbent’s names are underlined.

Island/San Juan Counties

• Position 2: Vickie I. Churchill, H. Clarke Harvey

King County

• Position 2: Harriett Cody, Bruce Gardiner, Mary Ellen Ramey
• Position 3: John Darrah, Norman Leopold
• Position 6: Joan B. Allison, Paul Feinsod, Phil Hubbard
• Position 8: Marilyn Sellers, Jay White
• Position 9: JoAnne Alumbaugh, John Costo, Jeff Ramsdell
• Position 10: Glenna S. Hall, Dale Ulin
• Position 11: Kevin Patrick Dolan, Theresa Gibbons, Richard M. Ishikawa
• Position 24: Michael J. Fox, Marilou Rickert
• Position 26: Jeanette Burrage, Bill Fligeltaub, Doug North
• Position 32: Peter B. Camp, LeRoy McCullough
• Position 34: Thomas More Kellenberg, Michael J. Trickey
• Position 38: Jim Bates, Rexford Lawrence
• Position 46: Suzanne M. Barnett, Sally Phillips Pasette

Skagit County

• Position 1: K. Garl Long, John M. Meyer

Snohomish County

• Position 8: J. C. Becker, David F. Hulbert
• Position 9: Michael W. Hall, Joseph A. Thibodeau

Clallam County

• Position 1: Dan Clem, Ken Williams

Cowlitz County

• Position 2: Robert W. Huffhines, Jr., Dennis P. Maher, Stephen M. Warning

Kitsap County

• Court 2: Leonard W. Kruse, Ron Meyers
• Court 4: Thurman W. Lowans, Terry K. McCluskey
• Court 6: David Carl Hill, William J. (Bill) Kamps

Pierce County

• Department 1: Steven Quick-Ruben, Arthur W. Verharen
• Department 2: Nick L. Markovich, Jr., Kenneth L. Nichols, Rudolph J. Tollefson, Douglas W. Vanscoy, Edward S. Winskill
• Department 3: Thomas P. Larkin, Christine Quinn Brintnall
• Department 4: Bryan E. Chushcoff, Sandra K. Mostoller, Joe M. Quaintance, Arthur C. Wang
• Department 11: Lloyd L. Alton, Jr., Day H. Bon, John A. McCarthy
• Department 13: Nile E. Aubrey, James M. Caraher

Thurston County

• Position 2: Paula Casey, Rick Cordes

Asotin/Columbia/Garfield Counties: Ray Lutes, John M. Lyden

Benton/Franklin Counties: Vic L. Vanderschoor, Don Stancik

Ferry/Pend Oreille/Stevens

• Position 1: Rebecca Baker, Andy Braff

Grant County

• Position 1: Stephen J. Hallstrom, Evan Sperline
• Position 2: Michael D. "Mike" Aiken, Ken Jorgensen

Kittitas County: Michael E. Cooper, Jim Maloney

Spokane County

• Department 6: Sam F. Cozza, Royce H. Moe, Terence M. Ryan

Walla Walla County

• Department 1: John W. Lohrmann, Robert L. Zagelow

Yakima County

• Department 1: Dorothy Brodrick, Susan L. Hahn
• Department 2: George Wynn Colby, Jim Hutton, Patti Powers

For the first time in the state’s history, a judicial voter pamphlet will be published. Ordered by the Washington Supreme Court, the new pamphlet will include information on candidates in all 47 contested elections. Hard copies of the pamphlet will be delivered to the state’s daily newspaper readers in late August. An electronic version will appear on the Supreme Court’s Internet home page. Computer users can find the page at /

CONTACT: Robert M. Henderson, Office of the Administrator for the Courts, (360) 705-5319.