Bloom leads Stephens in Washington Supreme Court Position 7 race

Todd A. Bloom leads Chief Justice Debra L. Stephens in the race for Washington State Supreme Court Position 7. Bloom has 55,211 votes (50.0%) to Stephens' 54,785 votes (49.7%), a margin of 426 votes with 5 of 39 reporting units counted, according to unofficial results from Washington Secretary of State. A total of 110,338 votes have been counted.

The nonpartisan seat is one of five Washington Supreme Court positions on the Nov. 3 ballot. Stephens, the incumbent chief justice, has served on the court since 2008.

What was at stake

The Washington Supreme Court is the state's highest court, with final say on questions of state law. It hears criminal cases, civil lawsuits and challenges to state laws, according to Yahoo News. Justices serve six-year terms. The races are officially nonpartisan.

The key issues:

• Judicial philosophy: Bloom, an attorney, certified public accountant and Navy veteran from Tacoma, said in a Washington State Standard voter guide questionnaire that judges should exercise "judicial restraint" and respect the separation of powers. Stephens, who lives in Olympia, said she approaches the law with "judicial humility and a deep respect for text and structure."
• Capital gains tax: Bloom told The Center Square he believed the court's Quinn decision upholding Washington's capital gains tax was "wrongly decided." The Legislature approved a 9.9% tax on annual income above $1 million in 2026, according to Fox 13 Seattle, and a legal challenge could reach the court.
• Court direction: Todd Myers, vice president of research at the Washington Policy Center, told Fox 13 Seattle that the court's decisions "increasingly affect Washingtonians' lives." Five of nine seats on the ballot at once is the first time in recent history a majority has been up for election simultaneously, according to Yahoo News.

A little history

Stephens was appointed to the Supreme Court in January 2008 and was elected to a full term that November, according to the Washington State Bar Association. She was re-elected in 2014 and 2020. She became chief justice for a second time in January 2025. She was the first woman from Eastern Washington to serve on the court, according to her biography on the state courts website.

Bloom also ran for a Supreme Court seat in 2024, according to The Center Square. He has not served as a judge but said he served as an arbitrator for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) for about 20 years. The Washington State Republican Party endorsed Bloom, according to The Hill. Democratic officials and left-leaning groups supported Stephens, The Hill reported.

What's next

The results remain unofficial until the canvass is complete. Counties must finish their canvass by Nov. 24, and the Secretary of State certifies the canvass by Dec. 3. More votes will be counted in the coming days.

Under Washington law, a mandatory machine recount is triggered when the margin between candidates is less than 2,000 votes and less than 0.5% of the total votes cast, according to the Secretary of State's recount FAQ. A manual recount is required in statewide races when the margin is less than 1,000 votes and less than 0.25%.

Election results: Washington State Supreme Court Justice - Position 7 (Washington General Election, 2026-11-03)

Source: Washington Secretary of State. Results current as of Nov. 3, 2026, 8:08 p.m. PST. Reporting: 5 of 39. Unofficial results; the count is not complete.