The 2026 Legislative Session begins January 12th
WFRW's Click and Send emails will start soon.
For more information contact your club president.
WFRW's Click and Send emails will start soon.
For more information contact your club president.
Keep up to date with the latest policy happenings and legislative issues from the Washington Policy Center YouTube channel.
In particular, listen to weekly videos from Paul Guppy on the most current issues.
Be informed and share with others.
Family Policy Institute of Washington
FPIW Action has a new Bill Library
You will be able to view bills, debate videos, progress and comment
Check it out and be ready to voice your opinion this legislative session.
FPIW Bill Library
Judicial Elections in 2026
"For the 2026 election cycle, there are currently 138 scheduled judicial elections to take place next year in Washington State. Of these, 7 races involve judges initially appointed by Governor Ferguson under the “resign-and-appoint” practice, in which sitting judges step down mid-term and allow the governor to name their successor—often shortly before the filing deadline—effectively limiting or bypassing an open electoral contest.
This pattern is not confined to a handful of positions. Across Washington’s courts:
Superior Courts: 137 of 205 current judges were first appointed, not elected.
Court of Appeals: 16 of 22 current judges—more than three-quarters—entered through appointment.
State Supreme Court: 5 of 9 justices were initially appointed (3 by Governor Inslee and 2 by Governor Gregoire).
The cycle of mid-term resignations followed by gubernatorial appointments has produced a consistent outcome:
Newly appointed “incumbents” often run unopposed, leaving voters with little or no opportunity to choose who serves on the bench.
As a result, the governor—rather than the electorate—exerts the primary influence over the composition of the judiciary.
For the judiciary to maintain legitimacy, it must not only be impartial and competent—it must also be perceived as accountable to the public. When a substantial share of judicial seats are filled through appointment by the Governor instead of competitive elections, public trust is weakened. A judiciary seen as shaped primarily by the executive branch risks undermining confidence in its independence, transparency, and democratic legitimacy.
Join Full Court Press as we are dedicated to training judicial candidates who are committed to applying the law with a facts-based approach that is founded upon long-standing legal principles, independent of political ideology and dedicated to transparency and government accountability. Our state’s future depends on it." The Full Court Press
This pattern is not confined to a handful of positions. Across Washington’s courts:
Superior Courts: 137 of 205 current judges were first appointed, not elected.
Court of Appeals: 16 of 22 current judges—more than three-quarters—entered through appointment.
State Supreme Court: 5 of 9 justices were initially appointed (3 by Governor Inslee and 2 by Governor Gregoire).
The cycle of mid-term resignations followed by gubernatorial appointments has produced a consistent outcome:
Newly appointed “incumbents” often run unopposed, leaving voters with little or no opportunity to choose who serves on the bench.
As a result, the governor—rather than the electorate—exerts the primary influence over the composition of the judiciary.
For the judiciary to maintain legitimacy, it must not only be impartial and competent—it must also be perceived as accountable to the public. When a substantial share of judicial seats are filled through appointment by the Governor instead of competitive elections, public trust is weakened. A judiciary seen as shaped primarily by the executive branch risks undermining confidence in its independence, transparency, and democratic legitimacy.
Join Full Court Press as we are dedicated to training judicial candidates who are committed to applying the law with a facts-based approach that is founded upon long-standing legal principles, independent of political ideology and dedicated to transparency and government accountability. Our state’s future depends on it." The Full Court Press
