To the editor:

At least one of three State Supreme Court positions on the ballot, Justice Steven C. Gonzalez, Position 8, will be decided in the primary, Aug. 7.

He has one challenger. It is misleading to call this election a “primary.” The candidate who wins the majority of votes in this judicial primary wins the election. It is critical that citizens be informed and vote in the primary. For non-partisan information about this and other judicial races state-wide, visit www.voting for judges.org.

Justice Steven C. Gonzalez was appointed by the governor to fill this position when another justice retired. Justice Gonzalez was appointed because he is superbly qualified.

He graduated from Berkeley School of Law, served as a private attorney, Seattle city prosecutor, the U.S. Department of Justice and for 10 years as a King County Superior Court Judge.  Among the 250 judges state-wide to support Justice Gonzalez are at least 10 local Kitsap County judges, all of whom recognize Justice Gonzalez’s intellect, leadership and humanity.

While judges are often reluctant to publicly endorse judicial candidates for election, the Kitsap County District Court judges believe that we have an obligation to speak out about the qualifications of judicial candidates on the ballot. It is important that voters select the most qualified candidate to serve on the highest court of our state.

Please vote on Aug. 7 to retain Justice Steven C. Gonzalez for the Washington State Supreme Court, Position 8.

JUDGE STEPHEN HOLMAN, JUDGE JEFFREY JAHNS, JUDGE JAMES RIEHL AND JUDGE MARILYN PAJA

Kitsap County