Washington Supreme Court elections, 2014
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Four seats were up for election on the Washington Supreme Court in 2014, and all four incumbents were re-elected. Justices Mary Yu, Position 1, and Mary Fairhurst, Position 3, were re-elected with no opposition. Justice Charles W. Johnson had an opponent in Eddie Yoon and Justice Debra Stephens faced John Scannell on November 4, 2014.[1]
Results
Both incumbents in Washington were re-elected by large margins.
| Position 4 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | |||
| Charles W. Johnson | 73.8% | |||
| Eddie Yoon | 26.2% | |||
| Incumbent | Charles W. Johnson | |||
| Winner | Charles W. Johnson | |||
| Position 7 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | |||
| Debra Stephens | 78.1% | |||
| John Scannell | 21.9% | |||
| Incumbent | Debra Stephens | |||
| Winner | Debra Stephens | |||
On the ballot: Yu seat (Position 1)
 |
Associate Justice Mary Yu was appointed to the court on May 1 to fill the seat vacated by former Justice Jim Johnson. In order to continue serving on the court, Yu was required to run for election to the position. Yu previously served on the Kings County Superior Court. She is the first Asian-American, as well as the first gay justice, to serve on the state's high court. She was appointed by Governor Jay Inslee.[2] |
On the ballot: Fairhurst seat (Position 3)
 |
Associate Justice Mary Fairhurst was re-elected in 2014. She began serving on the court in 2002 and was elected to a third term in November 2014. Fairhurst faced no opponents in her bid for re-election to the court.[3] |
On the ballot: Johnson seat (Position 4)
| Position 4 | |
Eddie Yoon | Incumbent: No Party: n/a Primary vote: Election vote: 26.7%  |
Charles W. Johnson | Incumbent: Yes Party: n/a Primary vote: Election vote: 73.3%  |
At the time of the general election, Associate Justice Charles W. Johnson was the court's most senior justice and had served on the court since 1991. Johnson was re-elected to another term in 2014, defeating challenger Eddie Yoon.[3]
On the ballot: Stephens seat (Position 7)
| Position 7 | |
John Scannell | Incumbent: No Party: n/a Primary vote: Election vote: 21.9% |
Debra Stephens | Incumbent: Yes Party: n/a Primary vote: Election vote: 78.1% |
Associate Justice Debra L. Stephens was appointed to the court in December 2007. She defeated John Scannell in November 2014 to win another term.[3]
In 2005, John "Zamboni" Scannell was investigated by the Washington State Bar Association regarding a case he had in Virginia. Scannell argued that this was outside the bar's jurisdiction. Scannell, however, was subsequently disbarred in the State of Washington, not for any misconduct involving the Virginia case (which was dismissed), but because he had obstructed the bar association's investigation of that case. He fought his disbarment. After filing suit in the federal courts, he was allowed to practice before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit as of 2012.[4]
Political composition
Washington's supreme court justices are elected in nonpartisan elections.
Campaign finance
Contributions
Total reported contributions to candidates in 2014:[5]
Position 1:
| Candidate | Total contributions |
|---|---|
| Mary Yu | $44,531.05 |
Position 3:
| Candidate | Total contributions |
|---|---|
| Mary Fairhurst | $91,747.50 |
Position 4:
| Candidate | Total contributions |
|---|---|
| Charles W. Johnson | $18,038.14 |
| Eddie Yoon | $0.00 |
Position 7:
| Candidate | Total contributions |
|---|---|
| Debra Stephens | $68,377.79 |
| John Scannell | $0.00 |
Background
According to a report by the National Institute on Money in State Politics, spending in judicial elections by special interest groups in 2011 and 2012 increased to 27 percent of the money spent in judicial races, up from 16 percent in 2003 and 2004. In high court races, fundraising numbers were higher in partisan races vs. nonpartisan races. During 2011 and 2012, candidates running in the state's nonpartisan, high court elections raised a total of $1,288,379.[6][7]
In 2006, the Washington State Legislature approved a law which established the same contribution limits for supreme court candidates as those which apply to candidates running for other statewide offices. Candidates can accept a maximum contribution of $1,600 per donor for the primary and $1,600 for the general election. Before the law was established, judicial candidates could accept unlimited contributions until three weeks before the general election.[8]
- Candidates are required to establish a campaign committee to accept contributions and spend funds.
- Contributions may not be accepted more than 120 days before the candidate filing period begins.
- No contributions may be accepted more than 60 days after the last election in which a candidate has appeared on the ballot.[9]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "November 4, 2014 General Election Results"
- ↑ www.seattlepi.com, "Mary Yu becomes first Asian American, first gay on State Supreme Court," May 1, 2014
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Secretary of State Washington, "2014 Candidates Who Have Filed, Supreme Court," accessed May 15, 2014
- ↑ The News Tribune, "Will disbarred lawyer 'Zamboni John' Scannell make it to the ballot?" June 2, 2014
- ↑ Washington Public Disclosure Commission, "Campaign finance database - Judicial, 2014," accessed December 17, 2014
- ↑ www.followthemoney.org, "Courting Donors: Money in Judicial Elections, 2011 and 2012, Executive Summary," March 18, 2014
- ↑ www.followthemoney.org, "Courting Donors: Money in Judicial Elections, 2011 and 2012, Table 14," accessed May 15, 2014
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "Campaign and Elections: Washington," archived October 6, 2014
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "Campaign and Elections: Washington," archived October 6, 2014
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