All but one of the slate of five Washington state Supreme Court candidates backed by Democratic leaders led their races handily after the initial vote count Tuesday night in an election that will transform the court.

Two recent appointees of Gov. Bob Ferguson, a new face to the high court and its chief justice all were ahead, with more votes to count in the coming days. 

Their four opponents were backed by the state Republican Party.

The one Republican-backed candidate having some success is King County Superior Court Judge Sean O’Donnell, who leads the tightest race of the bunch over Democrat-endorsed appeals court Judge Ian Birk by 2 percentage points. This was the most closely watched of the five races.

These races garnered more attention this year for several reasons. Four justices are leaving the court, creating a rare opportunity to change its makeup. Conservatives have been unhappy with its decisions in recent years. 

The high-earners income tax, which voters are deciding on in this election via Initiative 645, is sure to land before the court, setting the stage for a decision on its constitutionality and whether to overturn nearly century-old precedent.

More in the article.