Benton County District Court judge sets sights on Superior Court bench

A Benton County District Court judge launched his campaign Monday to be the next Benton-Franklin Superior Court judge.

Joe Burrowes has been on the District Court bench since 2007, first as a court commissioner and then an elected judge.

“I am excited about the opportunity to serve both Benton and Franklin counties,” Burrowes said in a news release. “I look forward to applying my extensive legal background and judicial knowledge to Superior Court.”

He is the first person to officially announce their candidacy for Position 2, the seat currently held by Judge Robert Swisher.

Swisher, 69, will retire at the end of this year after serving for 16 years.

Burrowes worked for the Department of Energy for 16 years as a Hanford patrolman and a security consultant in the safeguard and security division, he had a short stint in the Benton County Prosecutor’s Office and he was a defense attorney for a few years before his appointment to District Court.

Burrowes is dean of the Washington State Judicial College, treasurer of the District & Municipal Court Judges Association and co-chair of that association’s education committee.

All seven Superior Court judicial positions will be up for election this year, though Swisher’s is the only known vacant seat. The filing period is in May.

This story was originally published February 8, 2016 at 7:08 PM with the headline "Benton County District Court judge sets sights on Superior Court bench."