Yakima County

Washington Supreme Court

Supreme Court justices are elected to six-year terms by voters throughout the entire state. There are nine Supreme Court justices, and Washington residents will vote for three in 2008.

Supreme Court candidates appear on the primary election ballot on August 19, 2008. If a candidate receives more than 50% of the votes cast in the primary, that candidate appears on the general election ballot without opposition. If no candidate receives more than 50% in the primary, the top two candidates appear on the general election ballot on November 4, 2008.

Position Three: Michael Bond is running against the incumbent, Mary Fairhurst. This race will be decided in the primary election.

Michael Bond

Mary Fairhurst

Position Four: Jim Beecher and Frank Vulliet are running against the incumbent, Charles Johnson.

Jim Beecher

Charles Johnson

Frank Vulliet

Position Seven: Debra Stephens is running for re-election without opposition.

Debra Stephens

Court of Appeals

Division Three, District Three

Judge Stephen Brown's term expires at the end of 2008. He has filed for re-election, without opposition.

Superior Court

Superior Court judges are elected to four-year terms. All Superior Court positions throughout Washington are up for election in 2008.

If only one candidate runs for an office in a county with a population of more than 100,000, that candidate receives a Certificate of Election, and the position will not appear on either the primary or the general election ballot. If there are two or more candidates for a position, the office will appear on the August 19 primary ballot.

The following position is contested:

Dep't 5

David Elofson, Rob Lawrence-Berrey

No candidates filed against the following incumbent judges, and under Washington law, they are therefore entitled to Certificates of Election. These positions will not appear on the primary or general election ballot.

Dep't 1	Susan Hahn
Dep't 2	Michael McCarthy
Dep't 3	James Gavin
Dep't 4	Blaine Gibson
Dep't 6	Ruth Reukauf
Dep't 7	Michael E. Schwab
Dep't 8	Jim Lust

District Court

District Court judges are elected to four-year terms; they were elected in 2006, and their terms extend through the end of 2010. Some positions may appear on the 2008 ballot.

Judge Michael McCarthy left his District Court position in February 2008 to accept an appointment to the Yakima County Superior Court. In April, the Yakima County Commission appointed Ralph Thompson Jr to fill the vacant position. The appointment is only through the end of 2008, however.

Judge Thompson has filed as a candidate for the elected position, to continue to hold the office through 2010. He will appear on the general election ballot in November without opposition.

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