Justice of the Supreme Court, Position 7
August 4, 2026 · Washington · Statewide · primary
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: Average · 38 out of 100
This district is mid-sized for its type, so each vote carries average weight. About 7,816,116 people live here.
score = 100 × ln(largest population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(largest ÷ smallest), rounded to 2 decimals = 100 × ln(39,287,377 ÷ 7,816,116) ÷ ln(39,287,377 ÷ 582,397) = 38.34, comparing all statewide districts nationwide (grades: 66+ high, 33+ average, otherwise low)
Decisiveness: Unknown
No past results for this contest yet.
Average representation + unknown decisiveness → Average vote impact.
Some data is missing, so this rating is based on partial information and capped at "High".
This office is responsible for:
- Hearing appeals and major cases under state law
- Deciding what the state constitution and state laws mean
- Setting rulings that lower state courts must follow
Affected Areas: Public Safety and Crime Control, Gun Control, Women's Reproductive Rights, Election Integrity, Civil Rights, Impartiality, Legal Competence
Candidates
David R Shelvey
Nonpartisan · declared
David R Shelvey is a Sumner attorney and sole practitioner at Rockcraft, PLLC, running for Washington Supreme Court Justice Position 7 in the 2026 primary. His practice has included family law, probate, estate planning, taxation, administrative matters, and civil litigation.
Records: Civil Rights 1 for, Legal Competence 5 for
Debra L. Stephens
Nonpartisan · Incumbent · declared
Debra L. Stephens is the Chief Justice of the Washington Supreme Court and a candidate for reelection to Justice Position 7 in 2026. She has served on the Supreme Court since 2008, previously served on Division Three of the Washington Court of Appeals, and earlier practiced appellate law and taught at Gonzaga University School of Law.
Records: Civil Rights 10 for, Legal Competence 14 for
Karim A. Merchant
Nonpartisan · declared
Karim A. Merchant is a Washington criminal-defense attorney and owner of K. Merchant Law, PLLC, running for Washington Supreme Court Justice Position 7 in the 2026 primary. He says he has represented clients for more than 18 years and spent the first 15 years of his career as a King County public defender before entering private practice in 2023.
Records: Civil Rights 1 for, Impartiality 1 for, Legal Competence 8 for
Todd A. Bloom
Nonpartisan · declared
Todd A. Bloom is a Washington tax attorney and CPA, principal of Glein | Bloom Accounting & Tax Services, and a District 6 governor on the Washington State Bar Association Board of Governors. He has more than 20 years of tax and estate-planning experience, previously worked in Big Four accounting and as in-house counsel, and retired from the U.S. Navy as a lieutenant commander in 2018. He is running for Washington Supreme Court Justice Position 7 in the 2026 primary.
Records: Impartiality 1 for, Legal Competence 2 for, Public Safety and Crime Control 1 for
Election sources
Source: voter.votewa.gov
Source: sanjuancountywa.gov