Wash. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. SAR 8
Commencing in November 1996 and continuing every four years thereafter, the Supreme Court shall select from among its membership a Chief Justice who will serve a four-year term. The term of the person so elected shall commence on the second Monday in January next succeeding the election. All members of the court at the time of the election, except those Justices who it is known will not be members of the court on the second Monday in January next, shall be eligible for election to the position, including the incumbent Chief Justice and Justices who have less than four years to serve on their current term of office.
Nominations for the position of Chief Justice shall be made orally at the meeting of the court at which the election is conducted. All Justices on the court at the time the election is held are eligible to vote. The vote shall be by secret ballot and the Justice receiving a majority of the votes of the full court shall be deemed elected to the position.
The Chief Justice may resign at any time from that position without resigning from the court. In that event or in the event of the death, resignation, or removal of the Chief Justice, the remaining Justices of the court shall elect a successor to the position of Chief Justice in the same manner as the quadrennial election of a Chief Justice. The Justice so elected shall serve the remainder of the term of the Chief Justice that Justice replaces.
The Chief Justice shall be the executive officer of the court, preside at all sessions of the Supreme Court and shall do and perform those duties required of the Chief Justice by the constitution and laws of the State of Washington and the rules of this court, and shall serve as coordinator between the two departments.
Wash. Sup. Ct. Admin. R. SAR 8