Radio Report: Rep. Abell calls on Ferguson to fill pending Washington Supreme Court vacancy with nonpartisan appointee

September 17, 2025

 Governor Bob Ferguson will have his first chance to fill a vacancy on the Washington State Supreme Court once Justice Mary Yu retires in December. A Republican state lawmaker is calling on Ferguson to appoint a nominee favored by both sides of the political aisle. John Sattgast reports.

SATTGAST: Representative Hunter Abell says a disturbing trend has developed in recent years in which senior-level judges depart before their term expires, giving the governor the opportunity to appoint their successor without public input. He says that creates an appearance of political parties stacking the bench in their favor.

ABELL: “When you’ve got a majority of the Supreme Court and almost 80 percent of the Court of Appeals appointed by the governor with no input from the Legislature, then it starts to look like the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals are wholly owned subsidiaries of the governor’s mansion. And we can’t have that.”

SATTGAST: The Inchelium Republican says Ferguson needs to appoint someone who is universally recognized as nonpartisan and will pledge to serve only as a caretaker for the rest of Justice Yu’s term, until citizens vote for a new high court judge late next year.

ABELL: “He’s got a real opportunity here to build and strengthen the public’s trust and confidence in our judiciary or just keep doing the same bad old habits.”

SATTGAST: Abell hopes his legislation to require state Senate confirmation of gubernatorial high court appointees will pick up support, now that a real example is being played out.

John Sattgast, the state Capitol.