Meet the Washington Supreme Court Candidates

Race 01 / 05

Position 1

Scott Edwards

Tax attorney

Candidate statement

I grew up in Anchorage, Alaska, where my father’s service as Alaska Attorney General and U.S. Attorney rooted the practice of law early in my life.

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Over decades of litigation and counseling, I’ve learned that trust in our courts depends on careful reasoning, equal treatment, and a steady commitment to the law.

I am running for the Washington Supreme Court to bring independent judgment to every case—focused on the Washington State Constitution, the statutes, and the people we serve. Outside the courtroom, I’m grateful for family, including time with my granddaughter, which keeps me grounded in what our decisions mean for future generations.

Official candidate site

Colleen Melody

Incumbent

Washington Supreme Court justice

Candidate statement

Born and raised in Spokane County, Colleen grew up in a family of public servants. Her father was an elementary school teacher and principal, and her mother was a nurse who worked at the Department of Health. Colleen worked through college waiting tables, and then attended law school with a commitment to serving her community as a lawyer.

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Colleen has dedicated her career to protecting the rights of Washingtonians. She built the Civil Rights Division of the Washington State Attorney General’s Office from the ground-up, turning it from a startup into a nationally recognized powerhouse that protects state residents from harassment, discrimination, and violence no matter their gender, race, age, or disability.

She has taken on Fortune 100 companies for unfair business practices and held the Federal Government accountable for violating the rights of Washingtonians. From trial courts in every corner of our state to the U.S. Supreme Court, Colleen has stood firm for the rule of law and all of our rights.

Official candidate site

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Race 02 / 05

Position 3

Jaime Hawk

Declined to participate.

David Stevens

Mason County Superior Court judge

Candidate description

David Stevens y Perez (David Stevens) is a husband, father, grandfather, Superior Court Judge, and Navy Veteran.

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Judge David Stevens is concerned that governors have appointed the vast majority of Washington State Superior Court Judges, State Appellate Court Judges, and Washington State Supreme Court Justices. He believes that gubernatorial appointment leads to ideological rulings and judicial overreach.

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Race 03 / 05

Position 4

Ian Birk

Washington Court of Appeals, Division I judge

Candidate description

A fifth-generation Washingtonian, Judge Birk has spent his career serving the people of this state—as a Supreme Court law clerk, a trial and appellate lawyer, a longtime pro bono volunteer, and now as an appellate judge trusted to decide complex cases from every corner of Washington.

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Judge Birk serves on Division I of the Washington State Court of Appeals, where he was appointed in 2022 and elected by the voters later that year without opposition. As a Court of Appeals judge, Judge Birk has authored more than 200 opinions and participated in hundreds of additional appellate decisions across civil, criminal, family, administrative, and constitutional law. He has sat in all three divisions of the Court of Appeals—Seattle, Tacoma, and Spokane—giving him statewide perspective on how the law is applied in diverse communities.

Official candidate site

Sean O’Donnell

King County Superior Court judge

Candidate description

Elected to the King County Superior Court bench in 2013, Judge Sean P. O’Donnell has served on the court’s family law, civil, and criminal dockets. He has been appointed to numerous leadership positions, including the Chief Judge of both the Family Law and Criminal Division.

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Judge O'Donnell currently serves as the Lead Judge, King County Involuntary Treatment Act Court at Harborview Hospital. He is also serving as King County's Special Inquiry Judge.

Judge O'Donnell has served as Washington State Supreme Court Justice Pro Tem for select cases.

Official candidate site

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Race 04 / 05

Position 5

Theo Angelis

Incumbent

Washington Supreme Court justice

Candidate description

Appointed to the Washington State Supreme Court in March 2026, Theo brings more than 25 years of legal experience as a respected appellate advocate, legal scholar, and public interest lawyer. Throughout his career, he has handled complex litigation and appellate cases involving constitutional issues, intellectual property, and federal and state law, earning recognition across the legal community for his rigorous legal analysis and commitment to justice.

Official candidate site

Dave Larson

Retired Federal Way Municipal Court judge

Candidate description

Born in Tacoma and raised on values that were earned, never handed to him — fairness, hard work, humility, and genuine care for the people around him — Dave has spent more than four decades understanding something that doesn't show up in legal briefs: the law doesn't exist in isolation.

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It exists inside families, schools, neighborhoods, communities, and the individual dignity each person should expect in their life. After more than 4 decades practicing law from every angle, Dave still talks about his work the way someone does when it was never just a job — because for him it never was.

Official candidate site

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Race 05 / 05

Position 7

Debra Stephens

Incumbent

Washington Supreme Court justice

Candidate description

A Spokane native, Debra grew up with a deep appreciation for public service, volunteering in her school, church and community. She earned both her undergraduate and law degrees from Gonzaga University, where she later taught constitutional law, community property, and appellate advocacy as an adjunct professor. Before taking the bench, she appeared as counsel more than 125 times before the Washington State Supreme Court and also advocated in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the United States Supreme Court.

Official candidate site

Todd Bloom

Tax attorney

Candidate description

Todd Bloom has spent more than 25 years serving others as an attorney, CPA, small business owner, and Navy veteran. Throughout his career, he has helped families, small business owners, and individuals navigate complex legal issues while earning a reputation for integrity, thoughtful judgment, and professionalism.

Official candidate site

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