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Primaries in Washington, 2022
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| Top-two and top-four battleground primaries, 2022 |
 |
| Primary Date |
| August 2, 2022 |
| Federal elections |
| Top-two primaries for U.S. House |
| State party |
| State political party revenue |
This page focuses on the top-two primaries that took place in Washington on August 2, 2022.
Washington uses a top-two primary system, in which all candidates appear on the same ballot, for congressional and state-level elections. The top two vote-getters move on to the general election, regardless of their party affiliation. In states that do not use a top-two system, all parties are usually able to put forward a candidate for the general election if they choose to.[1][2]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Federal elections
U.S. Senate
The 2022 U.S. Senate elections in Washington took place on November 8, 2022. Voters elected one candidate to serve in the U.S. Senate.
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
U.S. House
District 1
Primary candidates- Suzan DelBene (Incumbent) (Democratic Party) ✔
- Vincent Cavaleri (Republican Party) ✔
- Derek Chartrand (Republican Party)
- Matthew Heines (Republican Party)
- Tom Spears (Independent)
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection surveyDistrict 2
Primary candidates- Rick Larsen (Incumbent) (Democratic Party) ✔
- Jason Call (Democratic Party)
- Cody Hart (MAGA Republican Party)
- Leif Johnson (Republican Party)
- Carrie Kennedy (Republican Party)
- Dan Matthews (Republican Party) ✔
- Doug Revelle (Independent)
- Brandon Stalnaker (Republican Party)
- Jon Welch (Conservative Party)
- Bill Wheeler (Republican Party)
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection surveyDistrict 3
Primary candidates- Jaime Herrera Beutler (Incumbent) (Republican Party)
- Oliver Black (American Solidarity Party)
- Chris Byrd (Independent)
- Leslie French (Republican Party)
- Marie Gluesenkamp Pérez (Democratic Party) ✔
- Joe Kent (Republican Party) ✔
- Vicki Kraft (Republican Party)
- Davy Ray (Democratic Party)
- Heidi St. John (Republican Party)
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection surveyDistrict 4
Primary candidates- Dan Newhouse (Incumbent) (Republican Party) ✔
- Loren Culp (Republican Party)
- Benny Garcia (Republican Party)
- Corey Gibson (Republican Party)
- Brad Klippert (Republican Party)
- Jacek Kobiesa (Republican Party)
- Jerrod Sessler (Republican Party)
- Doug White (Democratic Party) ✔
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection surveyDistrict 5
Primary candidates- Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Incumbent) (Republican Party) ✔
- Sean Clynch (Republican Party)
- Ann Marie Danimus (Democratic Party)
- Natasha Hill (Democratic Party) ✔
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection surveyDistrict 6
Primary candidates- Derek Kilmer (Incumbent) (Democratic Party) ✔
- Chris Binns (Republican Party)
- Todd Bloom (Republican Party)
- Elizabeth Kreiselmaier (Republican Party) ✔
- Rebecca Parson (Democratic Party)
- Tom Triggs (Independent)
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection surveyDistrict 7
Primary candidates- Pramila Jayapal (Incumbent) (Democratic Party) ✔
- Paul Glumaz (Republican Party)
- Jesse A. James (Independent)
- Cliff Moon (Republican Party) ✔
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection surveyDistrict 8
Primary candidates- Kim Schrier (Incumbent) (Democratic Party) ✔
- Keith Arnold (Democratic Party)
- Ryan Burkett (Independent)
- Dave Chapman (Republican Party)
- Patrick Dillon (Concordia Party)
- Reagan Dunn (Republican Party)
- Justin Greywolf (Libertarian Party)
- Jesse Jensen (Republican Party)
- Matt Larkin (Republican Party) ✔
- Scott Stephenson (Republican Party)
- Emet Ward (Democratic Party)
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection surveyDistrict 9
Primary candidates- D. Adam Smith (Incumbent) (Democratic Party) ✔
- David Michael Anderson (Independent)
- Douglas Michael Basler (Republican Party) ✔
- Sea Chan (Republican Party)
- Stephanie Gallardo (Democratic Party)
- Seth Pedersen (Republican Party)
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection surveyDistrict 10
Primary candidates- Marilyn Strickland (Incumbent) (Democratic Party) ✔
- Richard Boyce (Congress Sucks Party)
- Dan Gordon (Republican Party)
- Eric Mahaffy (Democratic Party)
- Keith Swank (Republican Party) ✔
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection surveyState elections
State Senate
- See also: Washington State Senate elections, 2022
Democratic
Republican
House of Representatives
State supreme court
- See also: Washington Supreme Court elections, 2022
Position 1
Primary candidatesThis primary was canceled and this candidate advanced:
- Mary Yu (Incumbent) (Nonpartisan) ✔
Position 5
Primary candidatesThis primary was canceled and this candidate advanced:
- Barbara A. Madsen (Incumbent) (Nonpartisan) ✔
Court of Appeals
Division I
District 2
Primary candidatesThis primary was canceled and this candidate advanced:
- Stephen Dwyer (Incumbent) (Nonpartisan) ✔
Division II
District 1
Primary candidatesThis primary was canceled and this candidate advanced:
- Bradley A. Maxa (Incumbent) (Nonpartisan) ✔
District 3
Primary candidatesThis primary was canceled and this candidate advanced:
- Anne Cruser (Incumbent) (Nonpartisan) ✔
Division III
District 2
Primary candidatesThis primary was canceled and this candidate advanced:
- George Fearing (Incumbent) (Nonpartisan) ✔
Primary election competitiveness
This section contains information about the primary election competitiveness of election in Washington. For more information about this data, click here.
U.S. Senate competitiveness
U.S. House competitiveness
Post-filing deadline analysis
The following analysis covers all U.S. House districts up for election in Washington in 2022. Information below was calculated on July 18, 2022, and may differ from information shown in the table above due to candidate replacements and withdrawals after that time.
Sixty-eight candidates filed to run in Washington's 10 U.S. House districts, including 37 Republicans, 19 Democrats, seven independents and five third-party candidates. That's 6.8 candidates per district, fewer than the 7.3 candidates in 2020, and more than the 4.9 candidates per district in 2018.
This was the first election to take place under new district lines following the 2020 census. Washington was apportioned ten districts, the same number it was apportioned after the 2010 census. All ten incumbents filed to run for re-election, meaning there were no open U.S. House seats for the first time in a decade.
There were ten contested primaries, the same number as in 2020 and two fewer than in 2018, when there were eight contested primaries. All ten incumbents who filed to run for re-election faced primary challengers. In 2020, all nine incumbents who filed for re-election faced primary challengers. In 2018, seven of the nine who filed did.
In Washington's top-two primary system, all candidates are listed on the same ballot regardless of party affiliation. Two incumbents — Rep. Suzan DelBene (D) and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D) — did not face intra-party primary challengers. DelBene represented the 1st district, and Jayapal represented the 7th.
Eleven candidates filed to run in the 8th district, the most candidates who filed to run for a seat this year. Three Democrats, including incumbent Kim Schrier (D), five Republicans, one independent, one Libertarian, and one Concordia Party candidate filed to run.
At the time of the primary, no districts were guaranteed to either party. Democratic and Republican candidates filed to run in the primaries in all ten districts. However, under Washington's top-two primary system, two candidates from the same party can advance to the general election if they are the top two vote-getters in the primary.
State legislative competitiveness
Post-filing deadline analysis
The following analysis covers all state legislative districts up for election in Washington in 2022. Information below was calculated on July 31, 2022, and may differ from information shown in the table above due to candidate replacements and withdrawals after that time.
Thirty-one of the 95 Washington state legislators who filed for re-election—22 Democrats and nine Republicans—faced contested primaries in 2022. This represented 33% of incumbents who filed for re-election, lower than in 2020 but a higher rate than other recent election cycles.
Along with California and Nebraska, Washington was one of three states holding top-two state legislative primaries in 2022. Under this system, all candidates appear on the same primary ballot regardless of their party affiliation and the top-two vote-getters advance to the general election.
Under this system, a primary is contested when more than two candidates file to run in the same district, at which point at least one candidate is guaranteed to lose.
Historically, however, incumbents tended to advance to the general election in Washington.
Between 2014 and 2020, 127 incumbents faced contested primaries in the state, four of whom—two Democrats and two Republicans—lost. This gave incumbents a primary win rate of 98%.
Twenty-seven incumbents did not file for re-election in 2022, an increase compared to previous election cycles. This represented 18% of all seats in the Washington State Legislature.
Washington does not have term limits, meaning each of these incumbents either chose to retire or seek some other office.
Overall, 292 candidates filed to run in Washington's top-two state legislative primaries in 2022: 126 Democrats, 142 Republicans, and 24 independent or minor party candidates.
Context of the 2022 elections
Washington Party Control: 1992-2024
Eighteen years of Democratic trifectas • No Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Senate | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R[3] | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| House | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | S | S | S | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
State party overview
Democratic Party of Washington
- See also: Democratic Party of Washington
Republican Party of Washington
- See also: Republican Party of Washington
State political party revenue
State political parties typically deposit revenue in separate state and federal accounts in order to comply with state and federal campaign finance laws.
The Democratic Party and the Republican Party maintain state affiliates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and select U.S. territories. The following map displays total state political party revenue per capita for the Democratic and Republican state party affiliates.
Voter information
How the primary works
Washington uses a top-two primary system, in which all candidates appear on the same ballot, for congressional and state-level elections. The top two vote-getters move on to the general election, regardless of their party affiliation. In states that do not use a top-two system, all parties are usually able to put forward a candidate for the general election if they choose to.[1][4]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Poll times
Washington is an all-mail voting state. Individuals who prefer to vote in person rather than by mail may do so at local voting centers, which are open for 18 days prior to the election. The voting period ends at 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. Contact your county elections department for more information on voting center locations and times.[5]
Registration requirements
- Check your voter registration status here.
To vote in Washington, one must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of the state, and at least 18 years of age.[6]
One may register to vote online, by mail, or in-person at a county elections department. Registration must be completed eight days in advance if done by mail or online. In-person registration is available through Election Day.[7]
In 2018, Washington lawmakers enacted legislation providing for same-day voter registration and automatic voter registration.[8]
Automatic registration
Washington automatically registers eligible individuals to vote through the Department of Motor Vehicles, health benefit exchange, and other state agencies approved by the governor.[8]
Online registration
- See also: Online voter registration
Washington has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.
Same-day registration
Washington allows same-day voter registration.[8]
Residency requirements
Washington law requires 30 days of residency in the state before a person may vote.[6]
Verification of citizenship
Washington does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. According to the state's voter registration application, a voter who knowingly provides false information or knowingly make a false declaration about their qualifications "will have committed a class C felony that is punishable by imprisonment for up to five years, a fine of up to ten thousand dollars, or both."[9]
All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[10] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.
Verifying your registration
The site Vote WA, run by the Washington Secretary of State office, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.
Voter ID requirements
Washington is an all-mail voting state and does not require voters to present photo identification (ID). Voters may choose to vote in person at a local voting center. According to state law RCW 29A.40.160, “The county auditor shall require any person desiring to vote at a voting center to either sign a ballot declaration or provide identification.” Accepted forms of ID include driver's licenses, state ID cards, and student ID cards. For a list of all accepted forms of ID, see below.[11]
The following list of accepted ID was current as of April 2023. Click here for the Washington State Legislature's voter ID regulations to ensure you have the most current information.
- Driver's license
- State identification card
- Student identification card
- Tribal identification card
- Employer identification card
Early voting
Since it is an all-mail voting state, Washington permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.
Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.
Absentee voting
Washington conducts what are commonly referred to as all-mail elections. In Washington, voting is conducted primarily, although not necessarily exclusively, by mail. Election officials automatically distribute mail-in ballots to eligible electors.
Pivot Counties
- See also: Pivot Counties by state
Five of 39 Washington counties—12.8 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.
| Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County | Trump margin of victory in 2016 | Obama margin of victory in 2012 | Obama margin of victory in 2008 | ||||
| Clallam County, Washington | 2.76% | 0.38% | 3.30% | ||||
| Cowlitz County, Washington | 13.32% | 4.44% | 11.15% | ||||
| Grays Harbor County, Washington | 6.99% | 14.11% | 14.56% | ||||
| Mason County, Washington | 5.81% | 7.09% | 8.66% | ||||
| Pacific County, Washington | 6.74% | 11.52% | 14.07% | ||||
In the 2016 presidential election, Hillary Clinton (D) won Washington with 52.5 percent of the vote. Donald Trump (R) received 36.8 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Washington cast votes for the winning presidential candidate 73.3 percent of the time. In that same time frame, Washington supported Democratic candidates for president more often than Republican candidates, 53.3 to 43.3 percent. The state favored Democrats in every election between 2000 and 2016.
Presidential results by legislative district
The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Washington. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[12][13]
| In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 34 out of 49 state House districts in Washington with an average margin of victory of 25.4 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 30 out of 49 state House districts in Washington with an average margin of victory of 32.1 points. |
| In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 15 out of 49 state House districts in Washington with an average margin of victory of 13.9 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 19 out of 49 state House districts in Washington with an average margin of victory of 14.9 points. |
| 2016 presidential results by state House district | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Obama | Romney | 2012 Margin | Clinton | Trump | 2016 Margin | |
| 1 | 59.66% | 37.93% | D+21.7 | 61.73% | 30.36% | D+31.4 | |
| 2 | 47.71% | 49.88% | R+2.2 | 37.79% | 53.05% | R+15.3 | |
| 3 | 57.66% | 38.63% | D+19 | 51.82% | 38.12% | D+13.7 | |
| 4 | 40.00% | 57.37% | R+17.4 | 34.91% | 56.36% | R+21.4 | |
| 5 | 53.41% | 44.29% | D+9.1 | 54.74% | 37.12% | D+17.6 | |
| 6 | 46.76% | 50.72% | R+4 | 44.72% | 46.75% | R+2 | |
| 7 | 36.16% | 61.01% | R+24.9 | 29.00% | 63.45% | R+34.5 | |
| 8 | 36.10% | 61.49% | R+25.4 | 34.54% | 57.03% | R+22.5 | |
| 9 | 37.70% | 59.71% | R+22 | 35.13% | 56.40% | R+21.3 | |
| 10 | 50.21% | 47.38% | D+2.8 | 46.94% | 45.07% | D+1.9 | |
| 11 | 67.51% | 30.27% | D+37.2 | 67.74% | 25.40% | D+42.3 | |
| 12 | 39.91% | 57.67% | R+17.8 | 37.34% | 55.97% | R+18.6 | |
| 13 | 35.70% | 61.75% | R+26 | 31.04% | 61.91% | R+30.9 | |
| 14 | 42.63% | 54.97% | R+12.3 | 38.98% | 54.23% | R+15.2 | |
| 15 | 45.75% | 52.31% | R+6.6 | 42.51% | 51.74% | R+9.2 | |
| 16 | 38.20% | 59.21% | R+21 | 36.00% | 56.67% | R+20.7 | |
| 17 | 48.28% | 49.36% | R+1.1 | 45.51% | 46.88% | R+1.4 | |
| 18 | 43.85% | 54.12% | R+10.3 | 42.36% | 50.56% | R+8.2 | |
| 19 | 53.59% | 43.66% | D+9.9 | 41.57% | 50.52% | R+8.9 | |
| 20 | 40.98% | 56.26% | R+15.3 | 30.96% | 61.41% | R+30.4 | |
| 21 | 61.52% | 36.25% | D+25.3 | 62.27% | 30.19% | D+32.1 | |
| 22 | 63.17% | 33.68% | D+29.5 | 60.67% | 30.15% | D+30.5 | |
| 23 | 57.91% | 39.72% | D+18.2 | 56.69% | 34.37% | D+22.3 | |
| 24 | 54.21% | 42.81% | D+11.4 | 48.95% | 43.35% | D+5.6 | |
| 25 | 50.87% | 46.92% | D+4 | 45.23% | 46.56% | R+1.3 | |
| 26 | 49.33% | 48.06% | D+1.3 | 45.36% | 45.35% | D+0 | |
| 27 | 67.29% | 30.00% | D+37.3 | 65.15% | 26.43% | D+38.7 | |
| 28 | 54.44% | 43.37% | D+11.1 | 52.61% | 38.96% | D+13.7 | |
| 29 | 62.55% | 34.97% | D+27.6 | 54.47% | 36.76% | D+17.7 | |
| 30 | 58.70% | 39.18% | D+19.5 | 56.77% | 35.96% | D+20.8 | |
| 31 | 47.88% | 49.93% | R+2.1 | 41.61% | 50.16% | R+8.5 | |
| 32 | 70.64% | 26.92% | D+43.7 | 71.67% | 21.56% | D+50.1 | |
| 33 | 65.65% | 32.25% | D+33.4 | 64.85% | 28.57% | D+36.3 | |
| 34 | 77.41% | 20.25% | D+57.2 | 79.30% | 14.85% | D+64.4 | |
| 35 | 51.47% | 45.95% | D+5.5 | 44.25% | 46.59% | R+2.3 | |
| 36 | 81.82% | 15.34% | D+66.5 | 85.25% | 9.15% | D+76.1 | |
| 37 | 86.30% | 11.18% | D+75.1 | 87.06% | 8.13% | D+78.9 | |
| 38 | 59.99% | 37.08% | D+22.9 | 53.38% | 37.81% | D+15.6 | |
| 39 | 49.44% | 47.52% | D+1.9 | 40.00% | 50.75% | R+10.7 | |
| 40 | 62.09% | 34.70% | D+27.4 | 62.61% | 29.29% | D+33.3 | |
| 41 | 60.00% | 38.22% | D+21.8 | 67.76% | 26.09% | D+41.7 | |
| 42 | 49.67% | 47.37% | D+2.3 | 47.57% | 44.43% | D+3.1 | |
| 43 | 85.99% | 10.63% | D+75.4 | 88.74% | 5.96% | D+82.8 | |
| 44 | 54.08% | 43.61% | D+10.5 | 50.96% | 40.24% | D+10.7 | |
| 45 | 58.18% | 39.63% | D+18.6 | 64.80% | 28.03% | D+36.8 | |
| 46 | 78.25% | 19.15% | D+59.1 | 81.92% | 12.42% | D+69.5 | |
| 47 | 55.53% | 42.30% | D+13.2 | 54.37% | 38.29% | D+16.1 | |
| 48 | 61.67% | 35.86% | D+25.8 | 68.17% | 25.02% | D+43.2 | |
| 49 | 57.30% | 40.04% | D+17.3 | 54.21% | 37.87% | D+16.3 | |
| Total | 56.16% | 41.29% | D+14.9 | 54.30% | 38.07% | D+16.2 | |
| Source: Daily Kos | |||||||
See also
2022 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 NCSL, "State Primary Election Types," accessed October 3, 2024
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "Top 2 Primary: FAQs for Candidates," accessed October 3, 2024
- ↑ Democrats gained full control of the state Senate after a special election on November 7, 2017.
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "Top 2 Primary: FAQs for Candidates," accessed October 3, 2024
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, “Frequently Asked Questions on Voting by Mail,” accessed April 20, 2023
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Washington Secretary of State, "Voter Eligibility," accessed April 20, 2023
- ↑ Washington State Legislature, "Voter registration deadlines," accessed April 20, 2023
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 The Hill, "Wash. gov signs universal voter registration law," March 20, 2018
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "Washington State Voter Registration Form," accessed November 2, 2024
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
- ↑ Washington State Legislature, "RCW 29A.40.160," accessed April 20, 2023
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
