Tri-Cities area voters pick a new Superior Court judge

It looks like substitute Judge Dave Petersen will continue to wear black robes in a new role, and state Sen. Sharon Brown will continue to serve in the Washington state Senate.

In the election for Benton and Franklin Superior Court judge, Position 1, Petersen had 60% of the vote, or 58,639 ballots, to the 40%, or 38,525 votes counted for Brown as of Tuesday night.

In Benton County Petersen had received 59% of the vote Tuesday night to the 41% of the vote cast for Brown. He did slightly better in Franklin County with 63% of the vote compared to 36% for Brown.

There is an opening for a Benton and Franklin County judge as Judge Bruce Spanner is retiring after serving three terms on the bench. It is a nonpartisan position.

“If the votes continue to trend the way they are and I am confirmed, I will bring fairness, integrity and impartiality to the bench,” Petersen said Tuesday night.

Petersen served as the Pasco Municipal Court judge from 2011 to 2017, as judge pro tem for the Benton and Franklin county Superior and District courts, and is regularly called in as a substitute judge.

He has worked as both a deputy prosecutor in Franklin County and in private practice during his 22-year legal career.

He also has done pro bono work with Legal Aid, in addition to participating in the annual National Adoption Day and coaching the mock trial team at Tri-Cities Prep.

He said during the campaign that his experience as a municipal court judge and judge pro tem would serve him well if elected to the Superior Court.

He had the support of many Tri-Cities lawyers and was declared the “overall choice” for Benton-Franklin Superior Court’s Position 1 in a recent poll conducted by the Benton & Franklin Counties Bar Association.

In the overall category, 40 attorneys supported Petersen and five supported Brown.

Petersen also took the other three categories — legal ability, judicial temperament and relevant legal experience.

All six District Court judges in Benton and Franklin counties endorsed Petersen.

Brown said during the campaign that was not surprising, given the “insider” status he has in the courts.

Brown has been a state senator since 2013 and also served as the Kennewick mayor pro tem. She said during the campaign that creating law provides her experience that would be an asset as a judge.

She said when she filed to run for judge that people shouldn’t serve in elected positions in perpetuity. ... I’m not ready to walk away from public service, so I wanted to find another area that I could serve but in a different capacity.”

If she were elected judge she would have to resign from the state Senate.

In a close August primary, Petersen received 22% of the vote and Brown received 21.7% of the vote, edging out Franklin County Prosecutor Shawn Sant to oppose Petersen on the November ballot.

The position is for four years with an annual salary just below $200,000.