Silver gavel, swell site

Anyone trying sincerely to make sense of last fall's vitriolic state Supreme Court election, if they were lucky, made their way to www.votingforjudges.org.

Votingforjudges.org is a dispassionate accounting of a passionate campaign season set atilt by an infusion of outside money seeking to sway Washington votes with exaggerations, half-truths and lies. For the worthy public service of establishing the Web site, the King County Bar Association recently received the prestigious Silver Gavel Award. The American Bar Association's award recognizes contributions to public understanding of the law and courts. The Foundation for Improvement of Justice also is awarding the local bar its Justice Award.

The King County Bar set up votingforjudges.org in the nick of time. In 2006, more third-party money poured into Washington's appellate-court races ($2.7 million) than into any other state, according to Justice at Stake, a national nonprofit group.

Where TV ads ascribed sinister intentions to candidates, the Web site linked to who was paying for the ads and to news stories clearing up the confusion. Endorsements from newspapers, community organizations and special-interest groups were listed.

The bar is worthy of these awards, not to mention the gratitude of voters who found their way out of the muck.