Help us improve in just 2 minutes—share your thoughts in our reader survey.
Washington Treasurer election, 2016
2020 →
← 2012
|
 |
August 2, 2016 |
November 8, 2016 |
Duane Davidson (R) |
James McIntire (D) |
Governor • Lt. Governor Attorney General • Secretary of State Treasurer Down Ballot Auditor • Insurance Commissioner Natural Resources Commissioner Superintendent of Schools |
May 20, 2016 |
August 2, 2016 |
October 21, 2016 |
November 8, 2016 |
TBD |
TBD |
Washington held an election for treasurer on November 8, 2016, with a primary election on August 2. Duane Davidson (R) won the general election, defeating Michael Waite (R) and becoming the first Republican to win the office in 60 years.
Overview
The Washington state treasurer serves as the state's chief financial officer and is responsible for managing cash flow, debt, and major investments. The treasurer also manages the sale of bonds that fund government projects, such as a $16.1 billion transportation package that was approved in 2015.
Washington holds top-two primary elections, in which all candidates run against each other regardless of party affiliation, and the top-two vote getters advance to the general election. Republican Michael Waite had a significant fundraising lead heading into the primary, reporting over $80,000 in contributions as of July 2016. Democrat John Paul Comerford reported the second highest total contributions at just over $43,000; Democratic state Sen. Marko Liias had earned more key endorsements than any other primary candidate. Waite and fellow Republican Duane Davidson placed second and first respectively in the August 2 primary election.
While the 2016 election was expected to be competitive, Democrats had entered the race with an incumbency advantage, having controlled the seat since 1957. However, since no Democrats advanced to the general election, the office of treasurer changed party hands in 2016 for the first time in 60 years.
Candidates
 Most recent position: Treasurer of Benton County since 2003 Past experience: Chief financial accountant for Benton County |
 Most recent position: Senior vice president at Bentall Kennedy since 2012 Past experience: Head of accounting for Cascade Investments, 2008 to 2012 |
| Click [show] to the right to view candidates who were defeated in the primary election. | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||
Results
Note: Washington utilizes a mail-in ballot system. Results were not finalized until 14 days after the primary election.[1]
General election
Duane Davidson defeated Michael Waite in the Washington treasurer election.
| Washington Treasurer, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Duane Davidson |
58.15% | 1,576,580 | |
| Republican | Michael Waite | 41.85% | 1,134,843 | |
| Total Votes | 2,711,423 | |||
| Source: Washington Secretary of State | ||||
Primary election
Duane Davidson and Michael Waite defeated Marko Liias, John Paul Comerford, and Alec Fisken in the Washington primary for treasurer.
| Washington primary for treasurer, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Duane Davidson |
25.09% | 322,374 | |
| Republican | Michael Waite |
23.33% | 299,766 | |
| Democratic | Marko Liias | 20.36% | 261,633 | |
| Democratic | John Paul Comerford | 17.97% | 230,904 | |
| Democratic | Alec Fisken | 13.24% | 170,117 | |
| Total Votes | 1,284,794 | |||
| Source: Washington Secretary of State | ||||
Context of the 2016 election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which voters select the candidate they believe should appear on the general election ballot. Primaries usually take place several months before a general election. Washington utilizes a top-two primary, in which a single primary election is held for each office wherein all candidates running for that office, regardless of party affiliation, compete in the same election. The two candidates receiving the most votes move on to the general election; all voters may vote in the primary for any candidate. In this type of primary, it is possible for both candidates in the general election to belong to the same political party. The general election also mimics a runoff election in that the two candidates who compete already competed against each other in the primary election.[2][3][4]
Washington's primary elections took place on August 2, 2016. The state utilizes a mail-in ballot system, and all ballots were required to be postmarked or left in a designated dropbox by 8 p.m. on election day. Ballots were mailed to registered voters 18 days prior to the election, and preliminary results were released at 8 p.m. on election day. While some races were called by the media on election day, official results were not certified by the Washington secretary of state until 14 days after the election, which, in 2016, was on August 16.[5]
Incumbent Jim McIntire (D)
McIntire was first elected state treasurer in 2008's open election, defeating Republican Allan Martin by about 2 percent. He won re-election in 2012 by a comfortable margin of 17 percent. Prior to his tenure as treasurer, McIntire served in the state House from 1999 to 2008. He previously ran an economics consulting practice, served on the faculty at the University of Washington's Evans School of Public Affairs, and worked as the director of UW's Fiscal Policy Center.
McIntire announced in December 2015 that he would not seek re-election to a third term in 2016. "Not campaigning during the coming year allows me to concentrate on protecting the Treasure and our credit rating, press hard for comprehensive education finance reforms and help lead the National Association of State Treasurers," he said in a press release.[6]
Party control in Washington
Washington had a divided government entering the 2016 election. Democrats controlled the governorship and also held a two-seat majority in the state house. Republicans gained control of the state senate in the 2014 elections by a one-seat majority, which ended a seven-year Democratic trifecta. Ballotpedia identified both chambers of the state legislature as battleground chambers in the 2016 elections. Party control of state government had the potential to shift after the November elections, but did not. Democrats retained control of the governorship and the state house. Democrats also gained a one-seat majority in the state senate, but did not take control of the chamber due to a Democratic senator who decided to caucus with the Republicans. Republicans thereby maintained control of the state senate, which resulted in the continuation of the state's divided government.
Prior to the 2016 election, both of Washington's U.S. Senate seats had been occupied by Democrats since 2001, and the state's electoral votes had gone to the Democratic presidential candidate every election cycle since 1988.[7] Senator Patty Murray (D) won re-election and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton won the state's presidential electoral votes in the November general election.
Democrats had controlled the state treasurer's office since the 1930s, with the exception of a four-year period of Republican control from 1953 to 1957 after Charles Maybury won election by a margin of just 1 percent.[8] Democrats had generally been elected to the office by large margins in the years leading up to the election; however, incumbent James McIntire won the seat by about 2 percent in 2008's open election. He won re-election in 2012 by 17 percent. The last open election held prior to 2008 was in 1996, which Mike Murphy (D) won by over 10 percent.[9]
Two Republicans advanced to the general election after the August 2 primary election, ensuring that office of treasurer changed party hands in 2016 regardless of the outcome of the November general election.
Campaigns
Campaign finance
| John Paul Comerford Campaign Finance Reports | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Total Contributions for Reporting Period | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | ||||
| To date | As of August 2, 2016 | $ | $70,143.05 | $(63,860.83) | $ | ||||
| Running totals | |||||||||
| $70,143.05 | $(63,860.83) | ||||||||
| Alec Fisken Campaign Finance Reports | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Total Contributions for Reporting Period | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | ||||
| To date | As of August 2, 2016 | $ | $29,465.00 | $(22,944.08) | $ | ||||
| Running totals | |||||||||
| $29,465 | $(22,944.08) | ||||||||
| Marko Liias Campaign Finance Reports | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Total Contributions for Reporting Period | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | ||||
| To date | As of August 2, 2016 | $ | $115,044.73 | $(71,551.99) | $ | ||||
| Running totals | |||||||||
| $115,044.73 | $(71,551.99) | ||||||||
| Duane Davidson Campaign Finance Reports | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Total Contributions for Reporting Period | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | ||||
| To date | As of August 2, 2016 | $ | $28,416.43 | $(21,587.15) | $ | ||||
| Running totals | |||||||||
| $28,416.43 | $(21,587.15) | ||||||||
| Michael Waite Campaign Finance Reports | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Date Filed | Beginning Balance | Total Contributions for Reporting Period | Expenditures | Cash on Hand | ||||
| To date | As of August 2, 2016 | $ | $85,493.20 | $(75,040.11) | $ | ||||
| Running totals | |||||||||
| $85,493.2 | $(75,040.11) | ||||||||
Endorsements
| Key endorsements, Democratic candidates | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Paul Comerford (D) | Alec Fisken (D) | Marko Liias (D) | |||||||
| Seattle City Council President Bruce Harrell | State Treasurer James McIntire (D) | Washington Education Association | |||||||
| State House Majority Floor Leader Gael Tarleton (D) | Former State Treasurer Dan Grimm (D) | Washington Federation of State Employees | |||||||
| The Asian-Pacific Democratic Caucus | Washington Federation of State Employees (AFSCME Council 28) | Washington State Council of County and City Employees | |||||||
| The Young Democrats of Washington | Spokane County Democrats | Washington State Patrol Troopers Association | |||||||
| King County Democrats | State Senate Minority Leader Sharon Nelson (D) | ||||||||
| U.S. Congressman John Lewis (D) | State House Deputy Speaker Pro Tempore Tina Orwall (D) | ||||||||
| Pierce County Democrats | State House Majority Whip Kevin Van De Wege (D) | ||||||||
| Spokane County Democrats | Teamsters Joint Council No. 28 | ||||||||
| Washington Building Trades | |||||||||
| What is a key endorsement? | |||||||||
| Key endorsements, Republican primary candidates | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duane Davidson | Michael Waite (R) | ||||||||
| Secretary of State Kim Wyman (R) | Former Attorney General Rob McKenna (R) | ||||||||
| Former Secretary of State Sam Reed (R) | State Senate Majority Floor Leader Joe Fain (R) | ||||||||
| Spokane County Treasurer Rob Chase (R) | Former U.S. Attorney Mike McKay | ||||||||
| King County Republican Party | |||||||||
| National Electrical Contractors Association – Puget Sound Chapter | |||||||||
| What is a key endorsement? | |||||||||
Campaign media
Note: If a candidate is not listed below, Ballotpedia staff were unable to locate any campaign media for that candidate. Do you know of any? Tell us!
Democrats
|
Republicans
|
About the office
The Washington treasurer is a state executive position in the Washington state government. As the state's chief financial office, the treasurer manages the cash flow, investments, and debt of all major state accounts. The treasurer also manages the sale of bonds that fund government projects, such as a $16.1 billion transportation package that was approved in 2015.[10]
Incumbent
The incumbent was Democrat James McIntire. He was first elected in 2008 and won re-election in 2012.
Qualifications
Article 3, Section 25 of the state Constitution establishes the qualifications of the office:
| Qualifications, Compensation, Offices Which May Be Abolished. No person, except a citizen of the United States and a qualified elector of this state, shall be eligible to hold any state office. |
- a citizen of the United States
- a qualified elector in Washington
Authority
Article 3 of the state Constitution establishes the state's executive offices.
Article III, Section 2:
|
Executive Department. The executive department shall consist of a governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, treasurer, auditor, attorney general, superintendent of public instruction, and a commissioner of public lands, who shall be severally chosen by the qualified electors of the state at the same time and place of voting as for the members of the legislature. |
Past elections
2012
Incumbent James McIntire (D) won re-election on November 6, 2012. He defeated one challenger, Republican Sharon Hanek.
- 2012 General Election Results for Washington Treasurer
| Washington Treasurer General Election, 2012 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | James McIntire Incumbent |
58.7% | 1,695,401 | |
| Republican | Sharon Hanek | 41.3% | 1,192,150 | |
| Total Votes | 2,887,551 | |||
| Election results via Washington Secretary of State | ||||
2008
On November 4, 2008, James McIntire won election to the office of Washington Treasurer. He defeated Allan Martin (R) in the general election.
| Washington Treasurer, 2008 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | James McIntire |
51.1% | 1,420,022 | |
| Republican | Allan Martin | 48.9% | 1,360,063 | |
| Total Votes | 2,780,085 | |||
| Election results via Washington Secretary of State. | ||||
2004
On November 2, 2004, Mike Murphy (Washington) won re-election to the office of Washington Treasurer. He defeated Oscar S. Lewis (R) and John Sample (L) in the general election.
| Washington Treasurer, 2004 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Mike Murphy (Washington) Incumbent |
60.3% | 1,575,499 | |
| Republican | Oscar S. Lewis | 36% | 941,754 | |
| Libertarian | John Sample | 3.7% | 96,144 | |
| Total Votes | 2,613,397 | |||
| Election results via Washington Secretary of State. | ||||
2000
On November 7, 2000, Mike Murphy (Washington) won re-election to the office of Washington Treasurer. He defeated Diane Rhoades (R) and Tim Perman (L) in the general election.
| Washington Treasurer, 2000 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Mike Murphy (Washington) Incumbent |
55.8% | 1,266,969 | |
| Republican | Diane Rhoades | 39.9% | 905,401 | |
| Libertarian | Tim Perman | 4.3% | 96,910 | |
| Total Votes | 2,269,280 | |||
| Election results via Washington Secretary of State. | ||||
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Washington treasurer election. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
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.[11]
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
|
Washington government: |
Previous elections: |
Ballotpedia exclusives: |
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "Frequently Asked Questions on Voting by Mail," accessed August 2, 2016
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed January 6, 2014
- ↑ Fair Vote, "Congressional and Presidential Primaries: Open, Closed, Semi-Closed, and 'Top Two,'" accessed January 6, 2014
- ↑ Ballotpedia research conducted December 26, 2013, through January 3, 2014, researching and analyzing various state websites and codes.
- ↑ Secretary of State Kim Wyman, "Frequently Asked Questions on Voting by Mail," accessed August 4, 2016
- ↑ The Spokesman-Review, "State treasurer to call it quits," December 16, 2015
- ↑ National Archives and Records Administration, "Historical election results," accessed July 8, 2016
- ↑ Washington State Treasurer, "Washington Treasurers," accessed July 18, 2016
- ↑ Secretary of State Kim Wyman, "Elections Search Results: November 1996 General," accessed July 18, 2016
- ↑ The Seattle Times, "Open race for state treasurer could snap long Democratic lock," June 12, 2016
- ↑ The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
| |||||||||||||||||
