Ferguson to Reshape Washington Supreme Court Amid Turnover

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Washington is entering a transitional period on its highest court, with two seats on the Washington Supreme Court set to open within months. The changes will trigger a mix of gubernatorial appointments and a statewide election in 2026.

On Feb. 2, 2026, Gov. Bob Ferguson announced that Barbara A. Madsen will retire effective April 3, 2026, ending a 33-year tenure on the court. Madsen ranks among the longest-serving justices in state history and became the first woman ever popularly elected to the court.

Ferguson praised Madsen’s legacy and her career in public service, which included work as a public defender, prosecutor, and municipal court judge before joining the Supreme Court. He said he expects to appoint her replacement no later than her retirement date and has already begun the selection process. Applicants must submit materials by Feb. 26, 2026. Candidates who applied for the vacancy created by Justice Mary Yu’s retirement will also receive consideration.

Quick Turnover on the Court

Madsen’s announcement follows other recent shifts on the bench.

Mary Yu retired on Dec. 31, 2025. Ferguson appointed Colleen Melody to fill that vacancy beginning Jan. 1, 2026. Melody, a Spokane native and former head of the Attorney General’s Wing Luke Civil Rights Division, will stand for election on Nov. 3, 2026, to retain the seat for the remainder of Yu’s term.

Meanwhile, Raquel Montoya-Lewis, first appointed in 2019 and later elected statewide, has announced she will not seek reelection in 2026. She plans to complete her term through Dec. 31, 2026. Her decision guarantees at least one open Supreme Court race on the 2026 ballot. Montoya-Lewis currently holds Position 3.

The State’s Highest Court

The Washington Supreme Court has nine justices who serve staggered six-year terms through nonpartisan elections. That structure is designed to preserve continuity while allowing for gradual change.

With Madsen retiring in April and Montoya-Lewis stepping aside at the end of her term, two seats will turn over within a short window.

One vacancy will be filled by gubernatorial appointment before April 3, 2026. The second will go before voters in the November 2026 general election. Together, the moves create multiple entry points for new justices in a single year.

The timing stands out. One seat was filled by appointment just weeks ago. Another long-serving justice has now announced her retirement. A third justice has confirmed she will not seek another term. Public records show no external event driving the departures beyond normal career decisions.

Reshaping the Court

Taken together, the closely timed retirements place Gov. Ferguson in a position to shape the court’s makeup early in his governorship. He will do so through both direct appointment and the conditions surrounding an open election.

While each justice made an individual decision, the overlap concentrates responsibility for the court’s transition within a short period. By the end of 2026, several members of the Washington Supreme Court will have been selected or elevated during Ferguson’s first years in office, influencing the court’s balance and direction well beyond the next election cycle.

Stay tuned for politics in perspective here at PNW Daily as we approach the midterms.