Washington Supreme Court Candidates Clash In Debate Over Judicial Philosophies

Washington Supreme Court candidates Justice Colleen Melody and Scott Edwards are offering different views of what the job of a state Supreme Court justice should entail as Washington voters prepare to decide five Supreme Court races in the November 3 election. Melody and Edwards are competing for Washington Supreme Court Position 1. During a Supreme Court candidate debate hosted by the King County Bar Association and broadcast by TVW, Edwards argued voters should focus heavily on a candidate's judicial philosophy and the decisions that person would make from the bench. Edwards said Washington's Supreme Court is the final interpreter of state law and the Washington Constitution and expressed concern about the court focusing too heavily on rulemaking. He argued voters are hiring a Supreme Court judge, not a bureaucrat or legislator. Melody strongly disagreed with Edwards' characterization of the position. The sitting justice argued that Washington Supreme Court justices are also administrators of the state's judicial branch, describing that responsibility as a significant part of the job. Melody said justices should advocate for the judicial branch and adequate court funding, pointing to issues including juror pay, courthouse childcare, family navigators, interpreter services and court infrastructure. The exchange highlights differing views over judicial philosophy, court administration and how active Washington Supreme Court justices should be outside of deciding individual cases. The Position 1 contest is one of five Washington Supreme Court races appearing on the 2026 ballot. Washington voters are deciding contests for Supreme Court Positions 1, 3, 4, 5 and 7, putting five of the court's nine positions before voters this election cycle. Position 1 features Colleen Melody and Scott Edwards. Other races include Theo Angelis and Dave Larson for Position 5, Chief Justice Debra Stephens and Todd Bloom for Position 7, Jaime Michelle Hawk and David Stevens for Position 3, and Ian Birk and Sean O'Donnell for Position 4. The five Supreme Court contests make Washington's judiciary a significant part of the November 3 statewide ballot. Today's report examines Colleen Melody, Scott Edwards, judicial philosophy, court administration, Washington Supreme Court Position 1 and the five Supreme Court races facing Washington voters in the 2026 election. Follow The Center Square for continuing coverage of the Washington Supreme Court, judicial elections, state government, Washington politics and the November 2026 election. Want the next important update by text? Get the Washington state government and policy developments worth your attention sent straight to your phone. Text TCSWA to 206-944-3016 or sign up here: https://joinsubtext.com/c/thecentersquarewa Msg & data rates may apply. #WashingtonSupremeCourt #ColleenMelody #ScottEdwards #WashingtonState #SupremeCourt #JudicialElection #Election2026 #WashingtonElection #JudicialPhilosophy #WashingtonPolitics #TheCenterSquare #WashingtonInFocus