Ballotpedia's 2012 General Election Preview Articles: Washington State Legislature

November 2, 2012

By Ballotpedia's State legislative team

Washington's State Legislative Elections in 2012
Senate seats	Contested senate seats	House seats	Contested house seats
26	19 (73.1%)	98	74 (75.5%)

OLYMPIA: Washington: There are 124 total legislative seats with 2012 elections in Washington, a mail in ballot state which does not have polling places. Your county election officials can provide information about voting centers/election offices.

The State Senate with 30 seats is currently under Democratic control, 27 to 22. 7 incumbents, 5 Democrats and 2 Republicans, are retiring from the Senate this year. The 98-seat House of Representatives is 56-42 in favor of the Democrats. Of the 21 retiring incumbents, 11 are Democrats and 10 are Republicans. While the House of Representatives appears unlikely to change hands this year, the Senate may possibly come under Republican control.

Of the 124 incumbents up for election in 2012, 96 (77.4%) of them are running for re-election. A total of 93 of 124 (75.0%) districts will see more than one major party candidate in the general election.

Here are a few races to watch:

Senate

• Jim Kastama (D), regarded as a moderate Democrat, is retiring, leaving a seat that Republicans think they can pick up. Bruce Dammeier (R) will face Eric Herde (D) in the general election.

House

• In District 47-1, Bud Sizemore (D) challenges Incumbent Mark Hargrove. Hargrove was recently fined by the state ethics committee in early September, and losing this seat to a Democratic challenger would put a hamper on the Republican bid to gain a majority in the House of Representatives.

Washington State Senate
Party		As of November 5, 2012	After the 2012 Election
	Democratic Party	27	26
	Republican Party	22	23
Total		49	49

Washington House of Representatives
Party		As of November 5, 2012	After the 2012 Election
	Democratic Party	56	55
	Republican Party	42	43
Total		98	98

Articles

• 2012 elections review: Washington primary results still trickling in August 8
• 2012 elections preview: Washington voters to select winners in congressional, legislative primaries August 6

See also

• Ballotpedia's 2012 General Election Preview Articles: Washington Congressional Seats
• Ballotpedia's 2012 General Election Preview Articles: Washington State Executive Officials
• Ballotpedia:2012 general election preview articles
• State legislative elections, 2012
• November 6, 2012 election results
• State legislative elections, 2012
• Washington elections, 2012

• Washington State Senate elections, 2012
• Washington House of Representatives elections, 2012