Melody Leads Edwards in Position 1 Supreme Court Race

Incumbent Colleen Melody holds a commanding lead over challenger Scott Edwards in one of five contested Washington Supreme Court seats.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a stone courthouse facade beneath a flag silhouette, set against an evergreen ridge under overcast light. — Incumbent Justice Colleen Melody leads challenger Scott Edwards 59.99 percent to 39.74 percent in the Position 1 Washington Supreme Court race, with four other seats contested. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Incumbent Colleen Melody led Scott Edwards 59.99 percent to 39.74 percent for the Position 1 state Supreme Court seat in Tuesday's November 3, 2026 general election. Five state Supreme Court positions were contested on the ballot.

Why it matters

The results determine who fills several seats on the state's highest court, shaping its composition for the coming years. Position 1 is a two-year unexpired term, while the other contested seats carry six-year terms.

Statewide, Melody took 59.99 percent to Edwards's 39.74 percent for Position 1, while Stephens won Position 7 with 63.77 percent. The extraction does not indicate whether any results remained pending or subject to recount.

The players

Debra L. Stephens

Stephens is the current chief justice of the Washington Supreme Court and has served on the court since 2008.

Colleen Melody

Melody is the incumbent justice who won the Position 1 seat against challenger Scott Edwards.

The details

Five state Supreme Court positions were contested in the general election. Jaime Michelle Hawk led David Stevens 57.75 to 41.29 percent for Position 3, Sean O'Donnell led Ian Birk 50.90 to 48.72 percent for Position 4, Theo Angelis led Dave Larson 55.44 to 44.26 percent for Position 5, and Debra L. Stephens led Todd A. Bloom 63.77 to 35.94 percent for Position 7. Erik D. Price ran unopposed for Court of Appeals Division 2, District 2, Position 1 and received 98.16 percent.

November 3, 2026: General election in which five Supreme Court positions were contested
2008: Debra L. Stephens began serving on the state Supreme Court

Season Trajectory

Washington's nonpartisan Supreme Court elections place incumbents such as Melody and Stephens in direct contests, and the margins reported here show the court's existing membership largely prevailing. The results leave the court's composition shaped by the same judicial election system that has governed these seats.

Voters across Washington chose the justices who will hear state Supreme Court cases, affecting the state's legal rulings. The outcomes determine which judges sit on the bench in the coming terms.

The takeaway

Judicial races on the state's high court can produce decisive margins, and voters should review the candidates for each seat before the next election cycle.