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Mike Sells
Mike Sells (Democratic Party) was a member of the Washington House of Representatives, representing District 38-Position 2. He assumed office in 2005. He left office on January 9, 2023.
Sells (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the Washington House of Representatives to represent District 38-Position 2. He won in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Biography
Sells earned his B.A. in education/history from Central Washington University in 1967. He went on to receive his fifth-year teacher certification from the University of Washington in 1971.
Sells was president of Local 772 for Everett Federation of Teachers from 1969 to 1980. He also worked as teacher for Everett School District from 1967 to 1991. From 1981 to 1998, he was president of the Everett Education Association. He has also served as the executive secretary-treasurer for the Snohomish County Labor Council of the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organization.[1]
Sells has served as precinct committee officer for the Democratic Party.
Committee assignments
Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org.
2021-2022
Sells was assigned to the following committees:
- Capital Budget Committee
- College & Workforce Development Committee
- Labor and Workplace Standards Committee, Chair
2019-2020
Sells was assigned to the following committees:
- Capital Budget Committee
- Labor and Workplace Standards Committee, Chair
- College and Workforce Development Committee
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| Washington committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Capital Budget |
| • Higher Education |
| • Labor and Workplace Standards, Chair |
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Sells served on the following committees:
| Washington committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Higher Education |
| • Labor, Chair |
| • Transportation |
2013-2014
In the 2013-2014 legislative session, Sells served on the following committees:
| Washington committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Higher Education |
| • Labor and Workforce Development, Chair |
| • Transportation |
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Sells served on the following committees:
| Washington committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Education Appropriations and Oversight |
| • Higher Education |
2009-2010
In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Sells served on the following committees:
| Washington committee assignments, 2009 |
|---|
| • General Government Appropriations |
| • Higher Education, Vice chair |
| • Transportation |
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2022
Sells announced in January 2022 that he would not run for re-election.[2]
2020
See also: Washington House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for Washington House of Representatives District 38-Position 2
Incumbent Mike Sells defeated David Wiley in the general election for Washington House of Representatives District 38-Position 2 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Mike Sells (D) | 66.8 | 43,178 |
 | David Wiley (L)  | 32.2 | 20,810 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 1.0 | 644 | ||
| Total votes: 64,632 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Washington House of Representatives District 38-Position 2
Incumbent Mike Sells and David Wiley advanced from the primary for Washington House of Representatives District 38-Position 2 on August 4, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mike Sells (D) | 67.4 | 25,215 |
| ✔ | | David Wiley (L) | 30.9 | 11,568 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 1.7 | 642 | ||
| Total votes: 37,425 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2018
See also: Washington House of Representatives elections, 2018
General election
General election for Washington House of Representatives District 38-Position 2
Incumbent Mike Sells won election in the general election for Washington House of Representatives District 38-Position 2 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mike Sells (D) | 100.0 | 35,651 |
| Total votes: 35,651 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Washington House of Representatives District 38-Position 2
Incumbent Mike Sells advanced from the primary for Washington House of Representatives District 38-Position 2 on August 7, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mike Sells (D) | 100.0 | 18,525 |
| Total votes: 18,525 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2016
Elections for the Washington House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election was held on August 2, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was May 20, 2016.
Incumbent Mike Sells defeated Bert Johnson in the Washington House of Representatives, District 38-Position 2 general election.[3]
| Washington House of Representatives, District 38-Position 2 General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Mike Sells Incumbent |
62.35% | 31,672 | |
| Independent | Bert Johnson | 37.65% | 19,129 | |
| Total Votes | 50,801 | |||
| Source: Washington Secretary of State | ||||
Incumbent Mike Sells and Bert Johnson were unopposed in the Washington House of Representatives District 38-Position 2 top two primary.[4][5]
| Washington House of Representatives, District 38-Position 2 Top Two Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Democratic | Mike Sells Incumbent | |
| Independent | Bert Johnson | |
| Source: Washington Secretary of State | ||
2014
Elections for the Washington House of Representatives took place in 2014. A blanket primary election took place on August 5, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was May 17, 2014. Incumbent Mike Sells (D) and Elijah Olson (L) were unopposed in the primary. Sells defeated Olson in the general election.[6][7][8]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mike Sells Incumbent |
67% | 20,241 | |
| Libertarian | Elijah Olson | 33% | 9,957 | |
| Total Votes | 30,198 | |||
2012
Sells won re-election in the 2012 election for Washington House of Representatives District 38-Position 2. Sells was unopposed in the blanket primary on August 7, 2012, and defeated Michael Casey (R) in the general election, which took place on November 6, 2012.[9][10]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mike Sells Incumbent |
62.4% | 30,832 | |
| Republican | Michael Casey | 37.6% | 18,596 | |
| Total Votes | 49,428 | |||
2010
Sells was re-elected to the Washington House of Representatives District 38-Position 2. He ran unopposed in the August 17, 2010, primary. He defeated Republican Iris Lilly in the November 2, 2010, general election.
| Washington House of Representatives, District 38-Position 2 General Election (2010) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
| Mike Sells (D)
|
22,043 | |||
| Iris Lilly (R) | 15,602 | |||
| Washington House of Representatives, District 38-Position 2 Primary (2010) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| Mike Sells (D)
|
11,474 | 56.27% | ||
| Iris Lilly (R)
|
8,918 | 43.73% | ||
2008
On November 4, 2008, Democrat Mike Sells won re-election to the Washington House of Representatives, District 38-Position 2 receiving 100.00% of the vote (36,293 votes). He ran unopposed.
| Washington House of Representatives, District 38-Position 2 (2008) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| Mike Sells (D)
|
36,293 | 100.00% | ||
Campaign themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Mike Sells did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Washington scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2022
In 2022, the Washington State Legislature was in session from January 10 to March 10.
- Legislators are scored based on their votes on legislation supported by the organization.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to home building industry issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- Legislators are scored on how they voted on firearm policies.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues.
- Legislators are scored on whether they voted for or against WSLC's position.
2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the Washington State Legislature was in session from January 11 to April 25.
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2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the Washington State Legislature was in session from January 13 to March 12.
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2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the Washington State Legislature was in session from January 14 through April 28.
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2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
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In 2018, the Washington State Legislature, second session, was in session from January 8 through March 8.
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2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
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In 2017, the Washington State Legislature, first session, was in session from January 9 through April 23. There were also special sessions. The first special session was April 24 through May 23. The second special session was May 23 through June 21. The third special session was June 21 through July 20.
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2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the 64th Washington State Legislature, second session, was in session from January 11 through March 10. The legislature held a special session from March 11 to March 29 to pass a supplemental budget.
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2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the 64th Washington State Legislature, first session, was in session from January 12 through April 24. The legislature was in special session from April 29 to May 28, May 29 to June 27 and June 28 to July 10.[11]
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2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
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In 2014, the 63rd Washington State Legislature, second session, was in session from January 13 to March 14.[12]
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2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
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In 2013, the 63rd Washington State Legislature, first session, was in session from January 14 to April 29.
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2012
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2012, click [show]. |
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In 2012, the 62nd Washington State Legislature, second session, was in session from January 9 to March 8.[13]
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2011
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2011, click [show]. |
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In 2011, the 62nd Washington State Legislature, first session, was in session from January 10 through April 24.
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Missed Votes Report
- See also: Washington House of Representatives and Washington State Senate
In March 2014, Washington Votes, a legislative information website, released its annual Missed Votes Report, which provides detailed missed roll call votes on bills for every state legislator during the 2014 legislative session.[14] The 2014 regular session included a total of 515 votes in the State House and 396 in the State Senate, as well as 1,372 bills introduced total in the legislature and 237 bills passed. Out of all roll call votes, 90 individual legislators did not miss any votes. Three individual legislators missed more than 50 votes.[14] Sells missed 0 votes in a total of 1211 roll calls.
Freedom Foundation
The Freedom Foundation releases its Big Spender List annually. The Institute ranks all Washington legislators based on their total proposed tax and fee increases. To find each legislator’s total, the Institute adds up the 10-year tax increases or decreases, as estimated by Washington’s Office of Financial Management, of all bills sponsored or co-sponsored by that legislator.[15]
2012
Sells proposed a 10-year decrease in state taxes and fees of $1.6 billion, the lowest amount of proposed new net taxes and fees of the 93 Washington state representatives on the Freedom Foundation’s 2012 Big Spender List.
- See also: Washington Freedom Foundation Legislative Scorecard (2012)
The Freedom Foundation also issued its 2012 Informed Voter Guide for Washington State voters, including a legislative score card documenting how Washington State legislators voted upon bills the Foundation deemed important legislation. The legislation analyzed covered budget, taxation, and pension issues.[16] A 
sign indicates a bill more in line with the Foundation's stated goals, and a 
sign indicates a bill out of step with the Foundation's values. Here's how Sells voted on the specific pieces of legislation:
| 2012 House Scorecard - Mike Sells | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bill #6636 (Balanced budget requirement)
|
Bill #5967 (House Democrats budget)
|
Bill #6582 (Local transportation tax increases)
|
Bill #6378 (Pension reforms)
| ||||||||
| Y | Y | Y | N | ||||||||
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Sells and his wife, Gayle, have two children.
See also
2020 Elections
External links
|
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Project Vote Smart, "Biography," accessed April 17, 2014
- ↑ Heraldnet.com, "Rep. Mike Sells says he won’t seek re-election," February 2, 2022
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "General Election Results 2016," accessed December 2, 2016
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "2016 Candidates Who Have Filed," accessed May 23, 2016
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "August 2, 2016 Primary Results," accessed August 25, 2016
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "2014 Candidates Who Have Filed," accessed May 20, 2014
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "August 5, 2014, Official Primary Results," accessed August 5, 2014
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "Official general election results, 2014," accessed December 2, 2014
- ↑ C-SPAN, "AP Election Results - Washington State House of Representatives," accessed August 7, 2012
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "2012 Primary Candidates," accessed July 16, 2012
- ↑ Multi State, "2015 State Legislative Session Dates," accessed July 13, 2015
- ↑ StateScape, "Session schedules," accessed July 23, 2014
- ↑ StateScape, "Session schedules," accessed July 23, 2014
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Washington Policy Center, "2014 Missed Votes Report for Legislators Released," March 18, 2014
- ↑ Freedom Foundation, "2012 Big Spender List," accessed April 17, 2014
- ↑ My Freedom Foundation, "Home," accessed June 18, 2014
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
Washington House of Representatives District 38-Position 2 2005-2023 |
Succeeded by Mary Fosse (D) |
