Washington State Senate elections, 2020
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| 2020 Washington Senate Elections | |
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| General | November 3, 2020 |
| Primary | August 4, 2020 |
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| 2020 Elections | |
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Elections for the office of Washington State Senate took place in 2020. The general election was held on November 3, 2020. A primary was scheduled for August 4, 2020. The filing deadline was May 15, 2020.
Twenty-five out of 49 Washington Senate seats were up for election in 2020. Heading into the election, Democrats held 29 seats and Republicans held 20 seats. Democrats won 12 seats while Republicans won 13 seats. Partisan control of the chamber remained unchanged, with Democrats retaining a 29-20 majority.
The Washington State Senate was one of 86 state legislative chambers with elections in 2020. There were 99 chambers throughout the country. In 2018, 87 out of 99 legislative chambers held elections.
Washington's 2020 state legislative elections affected partisan control of redistricting following the 2020 census. In Washington, a commission was responsible for both congressional and state legislative redistricting. The commission comprised members appointed by state lawmakers. The legislature itself had the ability to amend the commission's maps by a two-thirds vote in each chamber.
Election procedure changes in 2020
Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.
Washington did not modify any procedures for the November 3, 2020, general election.
For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.
Party control
| Washington State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 3, 2020 | After November 4, 2020 | |
| Democratic Party | 29 | 29 | |
| Republican Party | 20 | 20 | |
| Total | 49 | 49 | |
Candidates
General candidates
Washington State Senate general election 2020 |
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| Office |  Democratic |
 Republican |
Other |
| District 1 |
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| District 2 |
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| District 3 |
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| District 4 |
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| District 5 |
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| District 9 |
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| District 10 |
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| District 11 |
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| District 12 |
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| District 14 |
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| District 16 |
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| District 17 |
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| District 18 |
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| District 19 |
Dean Takko (i) |
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| District 20 |
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| District 22 |
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| District 23 |
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| District 24 |
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| District 25 |
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| District 27 |
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| District 28 |
Steve O'Ban (i) |
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| District 39 |
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Kathryn Lewandowsky (Progressive Party of Washington State) |
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| District 40 |
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| District 41 |
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| District 49 |
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= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection
Primary candidates
The candidate list below is based on candidate filing lists provided by the Washington Secretary of State on May 15, 2020. (I) denotes an incumbent.[1]
Incumbents who were not re-elected
Incumbents defeated in the general election
Two incumbents lost in the Nov. 3 general election. Those incumbents were:
| Name | Party | Office |
|---|---|---|
| Dean Takko |  Democratic |
Senate District 19 |
| Steve O'Ban |  Republican |
Senate District 28 |
Incumbents defeated in primary elections
No incumbents were defeated in the Aug. 4 primaries.
Retiring incumbents
There were three open seats where the incumbent legislator did not file for re-election in 2020.[2] Those incumbents were:
| Name | Party | Office |
|---|---|---|
| Randi Becker | Republican |
Senate District 2 |
| Maureen Walsh | Republican |
Senate District 16 |
| Hans Zeiger | Republican |
Senate District 25 |
The three seats left open in 2020, along with the three open in 2018, represented the lowest number of open seats within the preceding decade. The table below shows the number of open seats in each election held between 2010 and 2020.
| Open Seats in Washington State Senate elections: 2010 - 2020 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Total seats | Open seats | Seats with incumbents running for re-election |
| 2020 | 25 | 3 (12 percent) | 22 (88 percent) |
| 2018 | 25 | 3 (12 percent) | 22 (88 percent) |
| 2016 | 26 | 7 (27 percent) | 19 (73 percent) |
| 2014 | 25 | 4 (16 percent) | 21 (84 percent) |
| 2012 | 26 | 7 (27 percent) | 19 (73 percent) |
| 2010 | 25 | 5 (20 percent) | 20 (80 percent) |
Process to become a candidate
See statutes: Chapter 29A.24 of the Washington Election Code
A candidate who desires to have his or her name printed on the ballot for election to an office other than president or vice president must complete and file a declaration of candidacy. The candidate must do the following:
- declare that he or she is a registered voter within the jurisdiction of the office for which he or she is filing (the candidate must include the address at which he or she is registered)
- indicate the position for which he or she is filing
- state a party preference, if the office is a partisan office
- indicate the amount of the filing fee accompanying the declaration of candidacy (the candidate may also indicate that he or she is filing a petition in lieu of the filing fee)
- sign the declaration of candidacy, stating that the information provided on the form is true and swearing or affirming that he or she will support the constitution and laws of the United States and the constitution and laws of the state of Washington[3]
The filing period for candidates begins on the first Monday in May and ends the following Friday in the year in which the office is scheduled to be voted upon. For statewide offices and state legislative districts, candidates file with the secretary of state. Candidates must also submit the declaration of candidacy to the Washington Public Disclosure Commission within one business day after the filing period has ended.[4][5]
A filing fee equal to 1 percent of the annual salary of the office at the time of filing must accompany the declaration of candidacy for any office with a fixed annual salary of more than $1,000. For offices that pay less than $1,000, candidates must pay a filing fee of $10.[6] A candidate who lacks sufficient assets or income at the time of filing may submit with his or her declaration of candidacy a filing fee petition. The petition must contain signatures from registered voters equal to the number of dollars of the filing fee.
For write-in candidates
Any person who desires to be a write-in candidate and have his or her votes counted at a primary or general election can file a declaration of candidacy with the Washington Secretary of State and the Washington Public Disclosure Commission up to 8:00 p.m. on the day of the primary or general election. A declaration of candidacy for a write-in candidate must be accompanied by a filing fee or a filing fee petition with the required signatures if filing within 18 days of the election (fees and signature requirements are the same as those summarized above).[7]
2020 ballot access requirements
The table below details filing requirements for Washington State Senate candidates in the 2020 election cycle.
| Filing requirements for state legislative candidates, 2020 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chamber name | Party | Signatures required | Filing fee | Filing deadline | Source |
| Washington State Senate | All candidates | N/A | $568.81 | 5/15/2020 | Source |
Qualifications
Section 7 of Article 2 of the Washington Constitution states, "No person shall be eligible to the legislature who shall not be a citizen of the United States and a qualified voter in the district for which he is chosen."
Salaries and per diem
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
| State legislative salaries, 2024[8] | |
|---|---|
| Salary | Per diem |
| $60,191/year for senators. $61,997/year for representatives. | $202/day |
When sworn in
Washington legislators assume office the second Monday of January.[9]
Washington political history
Trifectas
A state government trifecta is a term that describes single-party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government.
Washington Party Control: 1992-2025
Nineteen 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 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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[10] | D | 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 | D |
Presidential politics in Washington
2016 Presidential election results
| U.S. presidential election, Washington, 2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | Electoral votes | |
| Democratic |  Hillary Clinton/Tim Kaine |
52.5% | 1,742,718 | 12 | |
| Republican | Donald Trump/Mike Pence | 36.8% | 1,221,747 | 0 | |
| Libertarian | Gary Johnson/Bill Weld | 4.9% | 160,879 | 0 | |
| Green | Jill Stein/Ajamu Baraka | 1.8% | 58,417 | 0 | |
| Socialist Workers | Alyson Kennedy/Osborne Hart | 0.1% | 4,307 | 0 | |
| Socialism and Liberation | Gloria Estela La Riva/Eugene Puryear | 0.1% | 3,523 | 0 | |
| Constitution | Darrell Lane Castle/Scott Bradley | 0.5% | 17,623 | 0 | |
| - | Other/Write-in | 3.3% | 107,805 | 0 | |
| Total Votes | 3,317,019 | 12 | |||
| Election results via: Federal Election Commission | |||||
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.[11][12]
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.[13]
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.[14]
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.[15]
In 2018, Washington lawmakers enacted legislation providing for same-day voter registration and automatic voter registration.[16]
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.[16]
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.[16]
Residency requirements
Washington law requires 30 days of residency in the state before a person may vote.[14]
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."[17]
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.[18] 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. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. 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.”[19]
The following list of accepted ID was current as of October 2025. 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 is an all-mail voting state. A ballot is automatically mailed to each registered voter at least 18 days prior to the election. A postage-paid return envelope is included with each ballot. Completed ballots must either be returned by mail and postmarked by Election Day or returned in person and deposited into an official dropbox by 8 p.m. on Election Day.[20]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ VoteWA, "Primary 2020," accessed May 21, 2020
- ↑ Ballotpedia defines an incumbent as retiring if the incumbent did not file for office or filed for office but withdrew, was disqualified, or otherwise left a race in a manner other than losing the primary, primary runoff, or convention. If an incumbent runs as a write-in candidate, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring. If an incumbent runs in the same chamber for a different seat, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring.
- ↑ Washington Election Code, "Chapter 29A.24.031," accessed April 29, 2025
- ↑ Washington Election Code, "Chapter 29A.24.050," accessed April 29, 2025
- ↑ Washington Election Code, "Chapter 29A.24.070," accessed April 29, 2025
- ↑ Washington Election Code, "Chapter 29A.24.091," accessed April 29, 2025
- ↑ Washington Election Code, "Chapter 29A.24.311," accessed April 29, 2025
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2024 Legislator Compensation," August 21, 2024
- ↑ Washington State Legislature, "RCW 44.04.021 Commencement of terms of office," accessed February 17, 2021
- ↑ Democrats gained full control of the state Senate after a special election on November 7, 2017.
- ↑ Washington State Legislature, "Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.52.112," accessed September 16, 2025
- ↑ Washington State Legislature, "Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.60.221," accessed September 16, 2025
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, “Frequently Asked Questions on Voting by Mail,” accessed November 6, 2025
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Washington Secretary of State, "Voter Eligibility," accessed April 20, 2023
- ↑ Washington State Legislature, "Voter registration deadlines," accessed April 20, 2023
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 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 October 9, 2025
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "Frequently Asked Questions on Voting by Mail," accessed October 31, 2025
