Elofson wins seat on Superior Court

In a contested judicial race that never got personal, Yakima attorney David Elofson defeated fellow litigator Rob Lawrence-Berrey Tuesday for a seat on the Yakima County Superior Court bench.

With 28 percent of the possible ballots counted, Elofson had 12,669 votes, or 55 percent. Lawrence-Berrey had 10,073 votes, or 44 percent.

With only two candidates on the ballot, the race was decided in the primary.

In a brief interview at the courthouse, a relieved but careful Elofson declined to declare victory with so many ballots yet to be counted. "The game ain't over yet," he said, adding, "We're ahead, and I'm pleased by that."

Votes will continue to be counted until the primary is certified Sept. 9. Ballots were required to be postmarked by Tuesday.

Elofson and Lawrence-Berrey were vying to replace Robert Hackett, who is retiring this year after 20 years on the bench.

Both men promised to bring new energy to Superior Court, where Hackett's limited effectiveness in recent years, due in part to health problems, has contributed to a large backlog of criminal cases.

Elofson, 55, is a native of Yakima and graduate of Washington State University who followed his late father, Howard, into law after initially pursuing a career in hotel management.

He got his law degree from California Western School of Law and has spent his career in Yakima, working briefly as a deputy prosecutor before going into civil law.

Despite his reputation in the legal community as an even-tempered mediator, Elofson said Tuesday he found it hard to campaign and was grateful for the support he got from friends and family.

"Running for office has been incredibly stressful," he said. "Self-promotion is a difficult thing for most of us if you're not used to it. And believe me, I wasn't used to it."

Lawrence-Berrey, a resident of Yakima since his graduation from Willamette University (Salem, Ore.) College of Law in 1989, has been active in the Yakima County Bar Association and in recent years has made no secret of his desire to serve on the bench.

Lawrence-Berrey, 44, said he was disappointed with the outcome, but not upset over losing to Elofson, whom he praised as an excellent choice.

"Dave ran a great campaign. Maybe next time things will be a little different, but he did a great job," he said, adding, "I'm sure there's going to be another opportunity."

Both candidates did well in a poll conducted by the Yakima County Bar Association, although Elofson won more top marks than Lawrence-Berrey. An evaluation by Washington Women Voters yielded similar results.

The winner becomes one of eight Superior Court judges in Yakima County. Superior Court judges handle felony cases as well as civil litigation and family and divorce law.