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IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON

VICKI LEE ANNE PARKER and JAMES S. JOHNSON, Appellants, v. KIM WYMAN, in her capacity as Thurston County Auditor, and CHRISTINE SCHALLER-KRADJAN, MARIE CLARKE, and VICTOR MINJARES, Respondents, and Filed: December 6, 2012 MARIE C. CLARKE, Appellant, v. KIM WYMAN, Thurston County Auditor, and CHRISTINE SCHALLER-KRADJAN, Candidate for Thurston County Superior Court, Position 2, Respondents. NO. 8 7 8 2 3 - 4

EN BANC

MADSEN, C.J.--Vicki Parker, James Johnson, and Marie Clarke appealed

No. 87823-4

directly to this court from an order of the Thurston County Superior Court denying them relief in an action challenging the candidacy of Christine Schaller for the office of judge of the Thurston County Superior Court. Appellants argue that Schaller is not statutorily eligible for the office because she does not reside in, and therefore is not a qualified elector of, Thurston County. We hold that Schaller is not required to reside in or be an elector of Thurston County to be eligible for the office. Accordingly, we affirm the superior court. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY Christine Schaller has been an appointed commissioner of the Thurston County Superior Court since 2005. Although she is not a resident of Thurston County, Schaller decided to run for one of the Thurston County judgeships that became open for election in 2012. Under the state constitution, a person is eligible for the office of superior court judge if he or she has been admitted to practice before the courts of record in this state. Wash. Const. art. IV,

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Washington Law