Superior Court Position 37

Even though Sound Transit Prop One (Mass Transit Expansion) is actually the final entry on my ballot I am going to skip it for now and get back to it when I go into the rest of the Measures & Propositions on my ballot.

For King County Superior Court Judge Position 37, there are two highly qualified candidates on the ballot. Seattle Municipal Court Judge Jean Rietschel is running against Senior Deputy King County Prosecutor Barbara Mack.

Judge Rietschel took the August Primary Election with a plurality of almost 40%, while Deputy Prosecutor Mack got just under 3% less of the vote.

The Voting for Judges website has as much information on the two candidates as I could find elsewhere (and more). For me this race boils down to which candidate's experience will likely make for a better Superior Court Judge. Judge Rietschel was a public defender for eight years, practiced in a firm for eight years, and has been a city court judge for the past twelve years (including a stint as the Presiding Judge). Deputy Prosecutor Mack served as Deputy Under Secretary of the (U.S.) Interior, a legal & policy consultant, and has been a prosecutor for the past 22 years.

I personally find that Barbara Mack's 22 years in the King County Prosecutor's Office, dealing virtually exclusively with the King County Superior Court (virtually in as much as she also dealt with higher courts) gives her the edge. I find that a Judge Mack would be better prepared (although by a matter of degree) to preside over felony jury trials from the start.

I am voting for Barbara Mack for King County Superior Court Judge Position 37.