Pierce County District Court Position No. 7
Pierce County, Washington
My vote power
Normal
Election date
August 4, 2026 · Primary election
How do we calculate my vote power?
What goes into the rating: Representation: how much weight one vote carries here compared with a statewide vote — the smaller the district, the more each vote counts. Decisiveness: how likely this race is to be close, based on past results or current analyst ratings, plus the number of candidates.
Representation: Normal · 59 out of 100
This district covers a large share of its state, so each vote carries about average weight — like a vote in a statewide race. About 930,319 people live here.
Show the representation math
score = 50 + 50 × ln(state population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(50,000) = 50 + 50 × ln(7,816,116 ÷ 930,319) ÷ ln(50,000) = 59.84, measured against a statewide vote in WA (grades: 66+ high, 33+ normal, otherwise low; a statewide race is the 50 baseline)
Decisiveness: Unknown
No analyst ratings or past results for this contest yet.
Normal representation → My vote power: Normal.
Some data is missing, so this rating is based on partial information.
About this office
- Deciding trials in the county
- Ruling on evidence and setting sentences in criminal cases
- Deciding family, probate, and civil disputes
Affects: Public Safety and Crime Control, Housing Affordability, Civil Rights,
Candidates
Nonpartisan · declared
Eric J. Lawless is a career public servant with more than two decades of leadership experience in military, legal and public service roles. He serves as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Washington and as Judge Pro Tempore for Kitsap County and Mason County District Courts.
Records: Legal Competence 2 for
Nonpartisan · declared
Mike Sommerfeld has spent more than three decades serving the people of Pierce County and works as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney and former Judge Pro Tem. He emphasizes treating every person who appears in court with fairness and respect.
Records: Public Safety and Crime Control 2 for, Legal Competence 1 for
Nonpartisan · declared
Pam Nogueira is an accomplished attorney, community volunteer and leader with 11 years as an attorney and pro tem judge. Her stated vision for the justice system is fairness, integrity and transparency.
Records: Legal Competence 2 for
Sources: voter.votewa.gov · piercecountywa.gov2