Chief Justice Debra L. Stephens is running to retain Washington Supreme Court Position 7 in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. Todd A. Bloom is the other candidate in the nonpartisan statewide race, according to King County Elections' general-election list.
Stephens joined the Supreme Court in January 2008, according to her official Washington Courts biography. She began a second period as chief justice in January 2025. Before joining the Supreme Court, she served on Division Three of the Court of Appeals.
The court biography describes Stephens as a Spokane native whose earlier work included legal practice and teaching as an adjunct at Gonzaga University School of Law. She also served for more than a decade on a local school board.
Her professional service includes judicial education and work with the National Courts and Sciences Institute and a water-law advisory board. The biography describes her involvement in appellate advocacy, including service as counsel in more than 125 Washington Supreme Court cases.
These details come from the court's account of her professional background. They do not represent a new questionnaire response or a promise about how she would decide a particular case.
Official biography: https://www.courts.wa.gov/appellate_trial_courts/supreme/bios/?fa=scbios.display_file&fileID=stephens
Election listing: https://info.kingcounty.gov/kcelections/Vote/contests/candidates.aspx?eid=55
Responses are based on public data and answers to a Surround Sound Media questionnaire if they were provided.
