Supreme court districts

AN ACT Relating to creating supreme court judicial districts; 1
amending RCW 2.04.100; adding new sections to chapter 2.04 RCW; 2
creating a new section; and providing a contingent effective date.3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature finds that the 5
Washington state supreme court serves as the highest judicial 6
authority in the state and must ensure justice for all 7
Washingtonians. As the state's population and legal needs evolve, it 8
is imperative that the court reflects the geographic diversity of 9
Washington to ensure a broad and representative judicial perspective.10
(2) The legislature further finds that Article IV, section 3 of 11
the Washington state Constitution provides that the supreme court 12
justices shall be elected by voters statewide, ensuring that all 13
Washingtonians have a voice in selecting the justices who serve them. 14
However, this provision does not preclude the state from structuring 15
judicial representation in a manner that promotes regional balance.16
(3) The legislature recognizes that, historically, the supreme 17
court justices have disproportionately resided in certain urban 18
areas, leaving eastern and central Washington underrepresented. To 19
address this imbalance and enhance public trust in the judiciary, the 20
legislature finds that a district-based residency system will provide 21
H-1230.1
HOUSE BILL 1918
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representative Dufault
Read first time 02/10/25. Referred to Committee on Civil Rights &
Judiciary.
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fair regional representation while maintaining the integrity of the 1
statewide election process. 2
(4) Therefore, it is the intent of the legislature to:3
(a) Establish nine supreme court judicial districts, with one 4
supreme court justice drawn from each, and each representing a 5
distinct region of Washington; 6
(b) Require that each supreme court justice reside in the supreme 7
court judicial district they represent at the time of their election 8
and throughout their term; and 9
(c) Require that at least three of the nine supreme court 10
judicial districts consist exclusively of the portions of the state 11
located east of the Cascade mountains. 12
(5) By enacting these provisions, the legislature seeks to 13
strengthen the connection between the judiciary and communities 14
across Washington, enhance public confidence in the state's highest 15
court, and ensure that all regions of the state have a voice in 16
shaping the legal principles that govern Washington.17
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 2.04 RCW 18
to read as follows: 19
(1) There shall be nine supreme court judicial districts in the 20
state, with one supreme court justice drawn from each district:21
(a) District 1 shall consist of King county; 22
(b) District 2 shall consist of Snohomish county;23
(c) District 3 shall consist of Island, San Juan, Skagit, and 24
Whatcom counties; 25
(d) District 4 shall consist of Pierce county;26
(e) District 5 shall consist of Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, 27
Kitsap, Mason, and Thurston counties; 28
(f) District 6 shall consist of Clark, Cowlitz, Lewis, Pacific, 29
Skamania, and Wahkiakum counties; 30
(g) District 7 shall consist of Ferry, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend 31
Oreille, Spokane, and Stevens counties; 32
(h) District 8 shall consist of Adams, Asotin, Benton, Columbia, 33
Franklin, Garfield, Grant, Walla Walla, and Whitman counties; and34
(i) District 9 shall consist of Chelan, Douglas, Kittitas, 35
Klickitat, and Yakima counties. 36
(2) Each justice of the supreme court must be a resident of the 37
supreme court judicial district for which the justice is selected or 38
appointed for not less than one year at the time of election or 39
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appointment, and shall remain a resident of that district for the 1
duration of the justice's term. 2
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 2.04 RCW 3
to read as follows: 4
(1) The first election of the justices of the supreme court 5
pursuant to the district-based system provided in section 2 of this 6
act shall be at the first general election held after the effective 7
date of this section. 8
(2)(a) The justices elected pursuant to subsection (1) of this 9
section shall be classified by lot, so that: 10
(i) Three justices shall hold their office for the term of two 11
years; 12
(ii) Three justices shall hold their office for the term of four 13
years; and 14
(iii) Three justices shall hold their office for the term of six 15
years. 16
(b) The lot shall be drawn by the justices who shall for that 17
purpose assemble at the seat of government on the second Monday in 18
January next succeeding their election, and they shall cause the 19
result thereof to be certified to and filed with the secretary of 20
state the same day. 21
(3) The term of any supreme court justice in office prior to the 22
certification of the lot drawing shall be deemed expired upon the 23
certification, and justices elected in the first district-based 24
election shall take the oath of office. 25
(4) After the first district-based election, the terms of 26
justices elected shall be six years from and after the second Monday 27
in January next succeeding their election. 28
Sec. 4. RCW 2.04.100 and 1971 c 81 s 3 are each amended to read 29
as follows: 30
If a vacancy occurs in the office of a justice of the supreme 31
court, the governor shall appoint a person who is a resident of the 32
supreme court judicial district for which the vacancy occurs to hold 33
the office until the election and qualification of a justice to fill 34
the vacancy, which election shall take place at the next succeeding 35
general election, and the justice so elected shall hold the office 36
for the remainder of the unexpired term. 37
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NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. This act takes effect January 1, 2026, if 1
the proposed amendment to Article IV, section 3 of the state 2
Constitution providing for supreme court judicial districts (House 3
Joint Resolution No. . . . . (H-1231/25)) is validly submitted to and 4
is approved and ratified by the voters at the next general election. 5
If the proposed amendment is not approved and ratified, this act is 6
void in its entirety.7
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