Pierce County District Court Position No. 6
November 3, 2026 · Pierce County, Washington · County · general
How do we calculate vote impact?
Vote impact = representation (how much weight one vote carries here, the smaller the district's population, the higher the representation) + decisiveness (how likely this race is to be close, based on past results and number of candidates).
Representation: Low · 13 out of 100
This district is large for its type, so each vote is a smaller slice of the outcome. About 930,319 people live here.
score = 100 × ln(largest population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(largest ÷ smallest), rounded to 2 decimals = 100 × ln(2,287,171 ÷ 930,319) ÷ ln(2,287,171 ÷ 2,353) = 13.08, comparing counties in WA (grades: 66+ high, 33+ average, otherwise low)
Decisiveness: None · only 1 candidate
One candidate is running unopposed, so votes can't change the outcome.
Low representation + an uncontested race → Very low vote impact.
This office is responsible for:
- Hearing trials — criminal cases, lawsuits, family, or probate matters, depending on the court
- Ruling on evidence, motions, and sentences
- Applying state law and court procedure fairly in every case
Affected Areas: Public Safety and Crime Control, Housing Affordability, Civil Rights, Impartiality, Legal Competence
Candidates
Karl Williams
Nonpartisan · Incumbent · declared
Karl Williams is a Pierce County District Court judge and unopposed 2026 candidate for Position 6. Before his 2018 election, he practiced law for three decades, handled civil and criminal trials, served extensively as a judge pro tempore, and worked as an arbitrator and mediator. His stated judicial priorities include public safety, victims' rights, access to justice, and addressing the effects of mental health, addiction, and economic disparity in the court system.
Records: Civil Rights 2 for, Legal Competence 4 for, Public Safety and Crime Control 1 for
Election sources
Source: voter.votewa.gov
Source: voter.votewa.gov