Justice of the Supreme Court, Position 3
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 Stevens
Nonpartisan · declared
David Stevens is a Mason County Superior Court judge elected in 2023 and reelected in 2024. His prior work includes senior felony prosecution, federal and tribal public defense, federal prosecution, international prosecution in Kosovo, justice-advisory work in Afghanistan, federal civil-rights investigation, and service in the U.S. Navy. He is running for Washington Supreme Court Justice Position 3 in 2026.
Records: Civil Rights 1 against, Impartiality 1 for, Legal Competence 4 for, Public Safety and Crime Control 1 for, 1 against
Jaime Michelle Hawk
Nonpartisan · declared
Jaime Michelle Hawk is a King County Superior Court judge appointed in 2022. She previously served as Legal Strategy Director for Smart Justice at the ACLU of Washington, as a trial attorney with the Federal Defenders of Eastern Washington and Idaho, and in civil-rights, federal-clerkship, and juvenile-public-defense roles. She is running for Washington Supreme Court Justice Position 3 in 2026.
Records: Civil Rights 1 for, Legal Competence 6 for, Public Safety and Crime Control 1 for
Mike Diaz
Nonpartisan · declared
J. Michael "Mike" Diaz is a Washington Court of Appeals Division I judge appointed in 2022 after serving on King County Superior Court beginning in 2018. Previously an Assistant U.S. Attorney, he founded the Western District of Washington's Civil Rights Program and worked on the Seattle Police Department consent decree. He is running for Washington Supreme Court Justice Position 3 in 2026.
Records: Civil Rights 7 for, Election Integrity 1 for, Gun Control 1 against, Impartiality 1 for, Legal Competence 7 for, Public Safety and Crime Control 2 for, Women's Reproductive Rights 1 for
Election sources
Source: voter.votewa.gov
Source: sos.wa.gov