James Armstrong is running against Sven Nelson for Pierce County District Court Judge Position 8 in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. Both appear on the county's official sample ballot in the nonpartisan contest.

Armstrong's campaign describes him as a Marine Corps veteran, attorney and former presiding judge of Bremerton Municipal Court. It says his legal work has included representing injured workers and people seeking Social Security disability benefits, and that he has served as a judge pro tem in Pierce County, Puyallup, Kent and Tukwila courts.

In a questionnaire published by the 31st District Democrats, Armstrong said he served as Bremerton's presiding municipal judge from January through December 2025. That response identifies prior leadership of the Loren Miller Bar Association and Washington State Bar Foundation, as well as participation in youth outreach and public education.

Armstrong's campaign emphasizes combining accountability with rehabilitation. In the 31st District Democrats questionnaire, he advocates addressing substance use, mental health and other circumstances contributing to repeat court appearances through treatment and clear expectations.

He also supports explaining court procedures and rulings in accessible language, providing language assistance and using remote hearings when appropriate. On case backlogs, he proposes closer scrutiny of repeated continuances and using qualified judges pro tem with the parties' agreement.

Those proposals and descriptions of experience are attributed to Armstrong's campaign and his response to the 31st District Democrats. That organization's questionnaire is distinct from a Surround Sound Media questionnaire; no submitted Surround Sound response was identified for this profile.

Official election ballot: https://www.piercecountywa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/161564/Sample-Ballot

Campaign biography and priorities: https://armstrongforjudge.com/

31st District Democrats questionnaire: https://31stdistrictdemocrats.org/seeking-endorsement-pierce-county-district-court-judge-position-8-james-armstrong/

Responses are based on public data and answers to a Surround Sound Media questionnaire if they were provided.