Should Politics Stay Out of Washington's Supreme Court?

Washington voters will decide five state Supreme Court races in the November 3 election, including the Position 5 contest between Justice Theo Angelis and former Federal Way Municipal Court Judge Dave Larson. Five of the Washington Supreme Court's nine positions are appearing on the 2026 general-election ballot. In this report, Angelis and Larson explain their views of Washington's justice system, judicial independence, politics and what they would like to see from the state's highest court. Angelis, who currently serves on the Washington Supreme Court, says he is proud of what he describes as the court's intellectual diversity. He argues that justices can approach cases from different perspectives while independently reviewing the law and reaching their own conclusions. Angelis also discusses his experience managing lawyers and legal professionals in private practice and his belief that Washington's courts can make both incremental and systemic improvements to the justice system. Larson, meanwhile, describes a decades-long effort to change Washington's judicial system. He says his desire to serve on the Washington Supreme Court began approximately 30 years ago after handling a wrongful-death case as an attorney. Larson argues that politics has repeatedly overshadowed his Supreme Court campaigns and says one of his goals is to reduce the role of politics in Washington's judiciary. The Angelis-Larson contest is one of five Washington Supreme Court races on the November ballot. Washington voters will decide Supreme Court Positions 1, 3, 4, 5 and 7 in the 2026 general election. Position 5 features Theo Angelis and Dave Larson. The other Supreme Court contests feature Colleen Melody and Scott Edwards for Position 1, David Stevens and Jaime Michelle Hawk for Position 3, Ian Birk and Sean O'Donnell for Position 4, and Chief Justice Debra Stephens and Todd A. Bloom for Position 7. Ballots for Washington's November 3 general election will be mailed to registered voters by October 16. Today's report examines Theo Angelis, Dave Larson, Washington Supreme Court Position 5, judicial independence, politics in judicial elections and the five Washington Supreme Court races appearing on the 2026 ballot. Follow The Center Square for continuing coverage of the Washington Supreme Court, judicial elections, Washington state government 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 #TheoAngelis #DaveLarson #WashingtonElection #Election2026 #SupremeCourt #JudicialElection #WashingtonState #WashingtonPolitics #Judiciary #TheCenterSquare #WashingtonInFocus