Pierce County District Court Position No. 3
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
Lizanne Padula
Nonpartisan · Incumbent · declared
Lizanne Padula is a Pierce County District Court judge, current assistant presiding judge, and unopposed 2026 candidate for Position 3. She has served on the court since 2019 and previously worked as a pro tempore judge, deputy prosecutor, domestic-violence prosecutor, private-practice attorney, continuing-education instructor, and reserve police officer. Her public service includes pro bono work, youth mock-trial leadership, legal education, mentoring, and community volunteering.
Records: Civil Rights 2 for, Legal Competence 3 for, Public Safety and Crime Control 1 for
Election sources
Source: voter.votewa.gov
Source: voter.votewa.gov