Washington 2021 ballot measures

Elections in Washington, 2021

• Election date: 11/2/2021
• Registration deadline(s): '10/25/2021 (by mail, online)
• Online registration: Yes
• Same-day registration: Yes

• Start of early voting: 10/15/2021 - 11/1/2021
• Absentee/mail voting deadline(s): 11/2/2021 (postmarked)
• Voter ID: Photo ID
• Poll times: Varies locally

---

On the ballot:  • Appellate courts • State ballot measures • Local ballot measures • School boards • Municipal • Recalls

Washington 2021 Ballot Measures
2022 » « 2020

2021 U.S. state ballot measures
2022 » « 2020
Overview
Scorecard
Tuesday Count
Deadlines
Requirements
Lawsuits
Readability
Voter guides
Election results
Year-end analysis
Campaigns
Polls
Media editorials
Filed initiatives
Finances
Contributions
Signature costs
Ballot Measure Monthly
Signature requirements
Have you subscribed yet? Join the hundreds of thousands of readers trusting Ballotpedia to keep them up to date with the latest political news. Sign up for the Daily Brew. Click here to learn more.

Three statewide ballot measures were certified to appear on the Washington ballot on November 2, 2021. The measures were nonbinding tax advisory questions. Voters advised the legislature to repeal the three bills. Since the questions were non-binding, the outcome of the ballot question was not legally binding and did not directly result in a new, changed, or rejected law.

HIGHLIGHTS

Voters decided three advisory votes on tax increases passed by the legislature during the 2021 session

The signature deadline for Initiatives to the Legislature passed on December 31, 2020, with no campaigns submitting signatures.

The signature deadline for Initiatives to the People passed on July 2, 2021, with no campaigns submitting signatures.

A total of 61 measures appeared on the statewide ballot in Washington during odd years between 1999 and 2019. Of the total, 56% (34) were approved and 44% (27) were defeated.

On the ballot

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Ruling
AQ	Advisory Vote 36	Taxes	Advises the legislature to either maintain or repeal a tax on phone lines to fund behavioral health and suicide prevention services passed in House Bill 1477	d
AQ	Advisory Vote 37	Taxes	Advises the legislature to either maintain or repeal a capital gains tax increase to fund education and child services passed in Senate Bill 5096	d
AQ	Advisory Vote 38	Taxes	Advises the legislature to either maintain or repeal a tax on captive insurers passed in Senate Bill 5315	d

Potential measures

The signature deadline for 2021 initiatives passed on December 31, 2020, for Initiatives to the Legislature and on July 2, 2021, for Initiatives to the People. The signature deadline for veto referendums passed on July 24, 2021.

Getting measures on the ballot

See also: Signature requirements for ballot measures in Washington

Citizens of Washington may initiate legislation as either a direct state statute— called Initiative to the People (ITP) in Washington— or indirect state statute— called Initiative to the Legislature (ITL) in Washington. In Washington, citizens also have the power to repeal legislation via veto referendum. Citizens may not initiate constitutional amendments. The Washington State Legislature, however, may place legislatively referred constitutional amendments on the ballot with a two-thirds (66.67%) vote in each chamber.

The last day to submit signatures for Initiatives to the 2021 Legislature was December 31, 2020, by 5:00 p.m. local time. A total of 259,622 valid signatures were required to certify an Initiative to the Legislature. No signatures were submitted for an ITL targeting the 2021 ballot.

The number of required signatures for Initiatives to the People and veto referendums in 2021 are based on the numbers of votes were cast for candidates for the office of governor in 2020. To qualify an ITP for the 2021 ballot, 324,516 valid signatures are required. Signatures for Initiatives to the People were due by July 2, 2021, by 5:00 p.m. local time. For veto referendums, signatures must be filed with the secretary of state within 90 days after the adjournment of the legislative session at which the targeted legislation was passed. To qualify a veto referendum for the 2021 ballot, 162,258 valid signatures are required.

The Washington Legislature could have referred measures to the ballot during its 2021 legislative session. No constitutional amendments or other referrals were passed in the legislature before it adjourned on April 25, 2021.

Local ballot measures

See also: Washington 2021 local ballot measures

Click here to read about 2021 local ballot measures in Washington.

Not on the ballot

Initiatives to the Legislature

See also: Initiatives to the Legislature

The signature deadline for 2021 Initiatives to the Legislature (ITL) was December 31, 2020. For an ITL to be taken up by the Washington State Legislature and potentially put on the ballot in 2021, proponents needed to submit 259,622 valid signatures to the Secretary of State by December 31, 2020.

Type	Number	Subject	Description	Sponsor	Status
ITL	Initiative 1097, 1100	Taxes	Prohibits carbon taxes, cap and trade emissions trading programs, and "low carbon fuel standards"	Larry Jensen
ITL	Multiple versions	Education	Repeals Senate Bill 5395 (2020) regarding sexual education in public schools	Larry Jensen
ITL	Multiple versions	Gambling	Authorizes sports betting in house-banked public card rooms	Larry Jensen
ITL	Initiative 1106, 1109	Education	Repeals Senate Bill 5395 (2020) regarding sexual education in public schools	Georgene Faries
ITL	Initiative 1110, 1114	State executive officials	Provides that executive orders issued by the Governor must be extended by a concurrent resolution of the state legislature after 14 days (rather than 30 days)	Michael McKee of Restore Washington
ITL	Initiative 1111	Taxes	Prohibits a state or local income tax	Michael McKee of Restore Washington
ITL	Initiative 1112	Taxes	Limits annual vehical license renewal taxes and fees to $30	Michael McKee of Restore Washington
ITL	Initiative 1113	Housing	Provides processes for removing unlawful or unwanted occupants of a property who are not legal tenants of the property	Karim Ali of Equality Realty
ITL	Multiple versions	Taxes	Prohibits state and local income tax	Tim Eyman (R)
ITL	Initiative 1117, 1123	Marijuana	Prohibits the cultivation, processing, and sales of marijuana in areas zoned as residential	Regis Costello
ITL	Initiative 1118	Law enforcement	Creates Floyd's Law; encourages civilians to record police interactions and intervene if the civilians feel that excessive force is being used; creates Floyd's Law Review Panel to review recordings of interactions with police	Demond Johnson and Camie Velin
ITL	Initiative 1119	Transportation and Food and agriculture	Directs the Washington Department of Transportation to enact a stewardship plan to create vegetable gardens under and around highways and bridges	Regis Costello
ITL	Multiple versions	Healthcare, Affirmative action	Requires the state to provide vaccinations (for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases) to all at no cost and to publicize infectious disease data 60 days after a public health emergency ends; allows the state to implement affirmative action policies	Terryl Ross, Lynn French, Julia Bobadilla-Melby
ITL	Initiative 1121	Taxes, Transportation	Prohibits using information related to the movement/travel of individuals/vehicles to calculate state taxes or fees	Michael McKee of Restore Washington
ITL	Multiple versions	Affirmative action	Defines and prohibits preferential treatment by the state of Washington	Kan Qiu
ITL	1243-1246	Affirmative action	Defines and prohibits special preferences by the state of Washington	April Featherkile
ITL	Initiative 1270	Transportation and Environment	Directs the Washington Department of Transportation to enact a plan to create plastic recycling zones around highways	Regis Costello
ITL	Multiple versions	Direct democracy	Removes the Washington State Attorney General's role in writing ballot measure titles and summaries for initiatives	Kan Qiu
ITL	Initiative 1304, 1305	Education	Prohibits physical restraint and seclusion as punishment for children in schools	Richard Pope

Initiatives to the People

See also: Initiatives to the People

The signature deadline for 2021 Initiatives to the People (ITP) was July 2, 2021. For an ITP to qualify for the 2021 ballot, proponents needed to submit 324,516 valid signatures. No campaigns submitted signatures.

Type	Number	Title	Subject	Description	Sponsor	Status
ITP	#1778	Prohibit Marijuana Cultivation and Sales in Residential Zones Initiative	Marijuana	Prohibits the cultivation, processing, and sales of marijuana in areas zoned as residential	Regis Costello
ITP	#1779	Employee Compensation and Benefits Initiative	Wages and pay	Requires that employees not be paid less than 1/8th the pay of the highest-paid employee	Bryan Axelson
ITP	Multiple versions	Voter Approval of Tax Increases Initiative	Taxes	Requires tax increases to expire after one year unless approved by voters	Tim Eyman
ITP	Multiple versions	Prohibit Income Tax Initiative	Taxes	Prohibits a state and local income tax	Tim Eyman
ITP	Multiple versions	Prohibit Carbon Tax Initiative	Taxes	Prohibits state or local government from imposing a carbon tax	Tim Eyman
ITP	#1786	Reduce Property Tax Assessment Rates Initiative	Taxes	Reduces property tax rates from $2.70 per $1,000 of assessed value to $2.00 in 2022; $1.50 in 2023; and $1.00 in 2024	Michael McKee
ITP	#1790, 1791	Define Preferential Treatment Initiative	Affirmative action	Defines preferential treatment and amends laws relating to government affirmative action policies	Kan Qiu
ITP	#1793	Child Custody Investigations Initiative	Divorce and custody	Concerns child custody cases, investigating allegations of criminal conduct or parental unfitness	George Ide
ITP	#1798	Require Judges to Report Suspected Child Abuse Initiative	Law enforcement and State judiciary	Requires state judges to report suspected child abuse if they witness or receive reports alleging child abuse	Albert Coburn
ITP	#1799	Additions to Freedom from Discrimination Law Initiative	Civil rights	Adds the right to be free from discrimination due to political affiliation or gun ownership to the state's Freedom from discrimination— Declaration of civil rights law	Charles Eakins
ITP	#1803	Permanent Daylight Saving Time Initiative	Time standards	Directs the Washington State Legislature to send an official request to the United States Congress to authorize states to make Daylight Saving Time (DST) permanent	Chris Wolf
ITP	#1806	Issue $500 Million in Bonds for Forest Health Projects Initiative	Bond issues and Forests and parks	Authorizes the issuance of $500 million in general obligation bonds; creates the Washington Forest Health Bond Account in the Washington State Treasury with bond revenue to be used for forest health activities	Michael McKee
ITP	#1818	Possession of Controlled Substances Initiative	Drug crime policy	Requires proof that an accused person knowingly possessed a controlled substance	Andrew White

Veto referendums

See also: Veto referendums

Type	Number	Title	Subject	Description	Sponsor	Status
VR	Referendum 92	Referendum 92, Limits on Transportation Fuel Greenhouse Gas Emissions Measure	Transportation Environment	Approves or repeals House Bill 1091, which would create the Clean Fuels Program overseen by the Dept. of Ecology to limit transportation fuel energy greenhouse gas emissions	Tim Eyman
VR	Referendum 93	Referendum 93, Cap-and-Trade Greenhouse Gas Emissions Measure	Energy, and Environment	Approves or repeals Senate Bill 5126, which was designed to create a cap-and-trade program for greenhouse gas emissions overseen by the Dept. of Ecology	Tim Eyman

Historical facts

See also: List of Washington ballot measures and History of Initiative & Referendum in Washington

All years:

• A total of 121 measures appeared on the statewide ballot in Washington through all years (even and odd) from the 20-year period between 1999 and 2019.
• From 1999 to 2019, the number of measures on the statewide ballot ranged from two to 15.
• Between 1999 and 2019, 57% (69) of the total number of measures that appeared on the statewide ballot were approved, and 43% (52) were defeated.
• Between 1999 and 2019, an average of six measures appeared on the ballot in Washington each year.

Even years:

• A total of 60 measures appeared on the statewide ballot in Washington during even years from the 18-year period between 2000 and 2018. 58% (35) were approved and 42% (25) were defeated.

Odd years:

• A total of 61 measures appeared on the statewide ballot in Washington during odd years from the 20-year period between 1999 and 2019. 56% (34) were approved and 44% (27) were defeated.

Washington statewide ballot measures, 1999-2019
Years	Total number	Approved	Percent approved	Defeated	Percent defeated	Annual average	Annual median	Annual minimum	Annual maximum
Even years	60	35	58.33%	25	41.67%	6.00	5	3	9
Odd years	61	34	55.74%	27	44.26%	5.55	5	2	15
All years	121	69	57.02%	52	42.98%	5.76	5	2	15

State profile

Demographic data for Washington
	Washington	U.S.
Total population:	7,160,290	316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):	66,456	3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:	77.8%	73.6%
Black/African American:	3.6%	12.6%
Asian:	7.7%	5.1%
Native American:	1.3%	0.8%
Pacific Islander:	0.6%	0.2%
Two or more:	5.2%	3%
Hispanic/Latino:	12%	17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:	90.4%	86.7%
College graduation rate:	32.9%	29.8%
Income
Median household income:	$61,062	$53,889
Persons below poverty level:	14.4%	11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Washington. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

Presidential voting pattern

See also: Presidential voting trends in Washington

Washington voted for the Democratic candidate in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.

Pivot Counties (2016)

Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, five are located in Washington, accounting for 2.43 percent of the total pivot counties.

Pivot Counties (2020)

In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. Washington had four Retained Pivot Counties and one Boomerang Pivot County, accounting for 2.21 and 4.00 percent of all Retained and Boomerang Pivot Counties, respectively.

More Washington coverage on Ballotpedia

• Elections in Washington
• United States congressional delegations from Washington
• Public policy in Washington
• Endorsers in Washington
• Washington fact checks
• More...

See also

• 2021 ballot measures
• List of Washington ballot measures
• Laws governing the initiative process in Washington
• History of Initiative & Referendum in Washington

External links

• Washington Secretary of State - Initiatives & Referenda