• Seventy-two percent (72%) of voters in Washington state say that judges should be expected to serve their full term.
  • This includes strong majorities of Republicans (81%) and Democrats (65%).
  • Overall, just 14% disagree, saying the judges should be allowed to resign at any time, allowing the governor to appoint a replacement.
• While a plurality (37%) believe the Washington State Supreme Court idealogical balance is About Right, 32% claim it is Too Liberal.
  • Just 11% say it is Too Conservative.
  • A majority of Democrats say the balance is About Right, while a majority of Republicans claim it is Too Liberal.
• When it comes to criminal cases, a strong plurality (45%) say the court is generally Too Lenient.
  • This number includes two thirds (66%) of Republicans and 31% of Democrats.
  • Overall, 29% say the balance is About Right, while just 8% say it is Too Harsh.
• A candidate's character is rated as the most important factor voters consider when considering a judicial candidate, with 71% saying it is Very Important.
  • Though not nearly as important, majorities still say having tough positions on crime is important (54%), as well as education (53%).
  • Half (50%) consider legal experience Very Important, while 44% say community involvement is Very Important.
  • Just 20% rate party endorsements as Very Important
• In order to make decisions on federal judges, 41% of voters report getting most of their information from voter pamphlets.
  • Social media follows in a distant 2nd (13%), roughly the same as the number who get their information from TV and radio ads (12%) and campaign websites (12%).
  • Just 7% get most of their information from friends and family.

This data is from a Napolitan News Service survey of 800 Registered Voters in Washington State, conducted online by Scott Rasmussen, January 2-7, 2026. RMG Research, Inc., conducted the field work for the survey. It has a margin of error of +/- 3.1.