Justice of the Supreme Court, Position 5
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
Dave Larson
Nonpartisan · declared
Dave Larson is a retired Federal Way Municipal Court judge who served on that court from 2008 through 2026 after 23 years as a trial lawyer. He previously served as president of the Federal Way School Board, taught new judges at Washington's Judicial College, participated in statewide judicial-administration committees, and worked on legislation allowing coordinated probation supervision across municipal and district courts. He earned a J.D. from Seattle University School of Law in 1984 and is running for Washington Supreme Court Justice Position 5 in 2026.
Records: Civil Rights 6 for, Impartiality 3 for, Legal Competence 7 for, Public Safety and Crime Control 7 for
Greg Miller
Nonpartisan · declared
Greg Miller is a Washington appellate attorney and partner who co-founded the appellate practice group at Carney Badley Spellman in 2008. He joined the Washington bar in 1984 after earning a J.D. from Northeastern University, previously clerked at the Washington Court of Appeals, served as nonpartisan counsel to the Washington Senate Health Committee, sat as a Seattle Municipal Court judge pro tem, and worked as a municipal prosecutor. He is running for Washington Supreme Court Justice Position 5 in 2026.
Records: Civil Rights 4 for, Impartiality 3 for, Legal Competence 6 for
Sharonda Amamilo
Nonpartisan · declared
Sharonda Amamilo is a judge of the Thurston County Superior Court who was elected in 2020. She previously spent 12 years with the Thurston County Office of Public Defense and served more than 25 years in U.S. Army military intelligence, retiring as a chief warrant officer. Her judicial work includes criminal and civil jury trials, family and juvenile matters, child-welfare cases, and administrative and lower-court appeals, and she has served as a judge pro tempore on the Washington Court of Appeals, Division II. She holds a J.D. from Seattle University, an MBA from Saint Martin's University, and a bachelor's degree from Southern Illinois University. She is running for Washington Supreme Court Justice Position 5 in 2026.
Records: Civil Rights 5 for, 1 against, Impartiality 4 for, Legal Competence 8 for, Public Safety and Crime Control 2 for
Theo Angelis
Nonpartisan · Incumbent · declared
Theo Angelis is a justice of the Washington Supreme Court who began serving on April 4, 2026, after appointment by Governor Bob Ferguson. Before joining the court, he practiced for 26 years at K&L Gates, where he led appellate and intellectual-property practices, handled litigation in state, federal, and administrative courts, and performed extensive pro bono work for children, immigrants, veterans, and people experiencing homelessness. He earned a J.D. from Yale Law School and clerked for Judge Stephen F. Williams on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. He is running to retain Washington Supreme Court Justice Position 5 in 2026.
Records: Civil Rights 7 for, Impartiality 1 for, Legal Competence 5 for, Public Safety and Crime Control 1 for
Election sources
Source: voter.votewa.gov
Source: sos.wa.gov