Thurston County approves salary increases for court commissions, elected offices

The Thurston County Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday to approve salary increases for several elected positions in the county, including the prosecuting attorney, district court judges and superior court judges.

The Washington Citizens’ Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials set the salaries for elected officials in the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the state government, adopting the state salary schedule for the next two years.

With the adoption of the state salary schedule, the salary for the county prosecuting attorney will increase to $237,460 effective July 1, 2025, and then to $244,631, effective July 1, 2026. This is an increase from $228,261. Cost of living adjustment for all statewide elected officials is 3% in 2025 and 2% in 2026, and Thurston County’s contribution to the salary is equivalent to one half the salary, according to the board’s agenda report.

Additionally, the commissioners approved a resolution to set the annual salary for district court judges, at $226,096, effective July 1, 2025, and $232,924, effective July 1, 2026. This adjustment, which is an increase from $217,337, aligns salaries for district court judges with the adopted May 13, 2025, state salary schedule for the judicial branch.

The district court commissioners’ salary is 85% of the district court judges’ salaries, giving the commissioners an increase to $192,181, effective July 1, 2025, then to $197,985, effective July 1, 2026.

Superior court judges’ salaries will increase to $237,460, effective July 1, 2025, and then to $244,631 starting July 1, 2026. With the superior court commissioners’ salary set at 85% of the judges, the commissioners’ will see an increase at $201,841, effective July 1, 2025, then at $207,936, effective July 1, 2026.