Washington gubernatorial election, 2024 (August 6 top-two primary)
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| Governor of Washington |
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| Top-two primary General election |
| Election details |
| Filing deadline: May 10, 2024 |
| Primary: August 6, 2024 General: November 5, 2024 Pre-election incumbent(s): Jay Inslee (Democratic) |
| How to vote |
| Poll times: Poll opening hours vary; close at 8 p.m. Voting in Washington |
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Bob Ferguson (D) and Dave Reichert (R) advanced from the top-two primary for governor of Washington on August 6, 2024. The general election was held on November 5, 2024. Twenty-eight candidates ran in the primary. Ferguson, Reichert, Semi Bird (R), and Mark Mullet (D) received the most media attention and endorsements.
Incumbent Jay Inslee (D) did not run for re-election.
Ferguson, the state attorney general, received endorsements from state Democrats, including incumbent governor Inslee.[1] Jerry Cornfield, of the Washington State Standard, said, "For years, Ferguson has been widely viewed as the next Democrat in line for the job after Gov. Jay Inslee."[2] The Seattle Times' Jim Brunner and Claire Withycombe wrote, "Ferguson is generally reluctant to fault Inslee’s policies or management but has made some failings of state agencies — specifically the ferry system — a part of his stump speech."[1]
According to Brunner and Withycombe, State Senator Mullet casted himself as the "common sense alternative who can attract a winning bloc of moderate and independent voters."[1] Mullet said Inslee and the Democratic majority had overreached on taxes. He also voted against a Democratic-led payroll tax for long-term care and a capital gains tax.[1][3]
According to Politico, Reichert, former representative of Washington's 8th Congressional District, was ranked as one of the most bipartisan members during his time in the U.S. House. He at times voted opposite his party, for example, voting to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" in the military and voting against repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act.[4][5]
Running to the right of Reichert was Bird. Bird was elected to the Richland School District school board in 2021 as part of a conservative slate of candidates who campaigned against mask mandates, COVID vaccines, and alleged teaching of critical race theory. Voters recalled Bird and two others from the school board in 2023.[6] Click here to learn more.
Democrats claimed Reichert would limit access to abortion in Washington. Reichert said he would uphold the state's abortion law.[7] Democrats also tried to link Reichert with former President Donald Trump (R). Reichert did not publicly state whether he would endorse or vote for Trump.[8]
Both Reichert and Bird positioned themselves opposite of Democrats. They emphasized "a shift away from tax increases and climate regulations" and called for "get-tough approaches on homeless encampments, drugs and crime."[9]
A Republican last won election as Washington's governor in 1980.[5] As of June 18, 2024, The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter rated the general election Lean Democratic, while Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales and Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball rated it Likely Democratic.
Twenty-four other candidates also ran in the primary.
Ricky Anthony (D), Semi Bird (R), Brian Bogen (No party preference), Edward Cale (D), Jim Clark (No party preference), William Combs (Independent Party), Michael DePaula (L), Fred Grant (D), Jennifer Hoover (R), Chaytan Inman (D), EL'ona Kearney (D), Leon Lawson (Trump Republican Party), Alan Makayev (Nonsense Busters Party), Rosetta Marshall-Williams (Independence Party), Mark Mullet (D), Dave Reichert (R), Don Rivers (D), Andre Stackhouse (G), and Bobbie Samons (No party preference) completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. To read those survey responses, click here.
This page focuses on Washington's top-two gubernatorial primary. For more in-depth information on Washington's gubernatorial general election, see the following page:
Election news
This section includes a timeline of events leading up to the election.
Candidates and election results
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Governor of Washington
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Bob Ferguson (D) | 44.9 | 884,268 |
| ✔ |  | Dave Reichert (R)  | 27.5 | 541,533 |
 | Semi Bird (R) | 10.8 | 212,692 | |
 | Mark Mullet (D) | 6.0 | 119,048 | |
 | Leon Lawson (Trump Republican Party) | 1.8 | 35,971 | |
| Jim Daniel (R) | 1.5 | 29,907 | ||
| Cassondra Hanson (D) | 1.2 | 24,512 | ||
 | EL'ona Kearney (D) | 1.2 | 24,374 | |
 | Jennifer Hoover (R) | 0.8 | 15,692 | |
 | Andre Stackhouse (G) | 0.6 | 11,962 | |
 | Don Rivers (D) | 0.5 | 9,453 | |
| Martin Wheeler (R) | 0.4 | 7,676 | ||
 | Chaytan Inman (D) | 0.3 | 6,427 | |
 | Ricky Anthony (D) | 0.3 | 6,226 | |
| Jeff Curry (Independent Party) | 0.3 | 6,068 | ||
 | Fred Grant (D) | 0.3 | 5,503 | |
 | Brian Bogen (No party preference) | 0.2 | 4,530 | |
 | A.L. Brown (R) | 0.2 | 4,232 | |
 | Michael DePaula (L) | 0.2 | 3,957 | |
 | Rosetta Marshall-Williams (Independence Party) | 0.2 | 2,960 | |
 | Jim Clark (No party preference) | 0.1 | 2,355 | |
| Edward Cale (D) | 0.1 | 1,975 | ||
 | Alex Tsimerman (Standup-America Party) | 0.1 | 1,721 | |
 | Bill Hirt (R) | 0.1 | 1,720 | |
| Frank Dare (Independent Party) | 0.1 | 1,115 | ||
 | Alan Makayev (Nonsense Busters Party) | 0.1 | 1,106 | |
 | William Combs (Independent Party) | 0.1 | 1,042 | |
| Brad Mjelde (No party preference) | 0.1 | 991 | ||
 | Ambra Mason (Constitution Party) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 0 | |
| Bobbie Samons (No party preference) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 0 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 1,347 | ||
| Total votes: 1,970,363 | |||
| = 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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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Geoff Nelson (Constitution Party)
- Tony Tasmaly (R)
- Robert Arthur Ferguson (D)
- Kriss Schuler (R)
- Eric Nelson (No party preference)
- Robert Benjamin Ferguson (D)
- Reggie Grant (D)
- Laurel Khan (R)
- Daniel Miller (R)
- Hilary Franz (D)
- Raul Garcia (R)
- Tim Ford (R)
Voting information
- See also: Voting in Washington
Candidate comparison
Candidate profiles
This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Submitted Biography: "Meet Ricky Anthony, a native of Washington and a seasoned military veteran. Born in Detroit and raised in Lakewood, Washington, Ricky's journey is one of dedication, selfless service, and a deep commitment to his country and community. His formative years were spent in the sphere of sports, where he honed his values of teamwork, discipline, and commitment. These values propelled him to graduate from Steilacoom High School and earn a college football scholarship. However, a physical injury may have altered his path, but it didn't dampen his spirit of service. Instead, it led him to a new arena—joining the Army. Ricky enlisted in the Army in 2003, and honorably retired at 41 years old in July 2023. Prior to retirement, he was selected to serve in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Forces Integration Unit in Budapest, Hungary, as the Operations Staff Assistant focused on the eastern flank of the United States European Command (EUCOM) Area of Responsibility (AOR), and undertook liaison responsibilities to the U.S. Embassy. Ricky was selected to serve as the Administrative Technician for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) in Hanoi, S.R. Vietnam, where he liaised with the U.S. Embassy for interagency engagements. Master of Science in Homeland Security & Emergency Services Management - grad date June 2024 Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration"
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Washington in 2024.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Submitted Biography: "Semi Bird has spent most of his life in service to his nation. He served two active-duty enlistments in the United States Marine Corps, earning the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal, and Good Conduct Medal. 16 years later after the attacks on 9/11/2001, Semi volunteered to become an Army Special Forces Green Beret at age 43. He received the Bronze Star Valor, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, and numerous medals of commendation and achievement for his combat service. Semi left active duty and volunteered for service in the Washington State Army National Guard where he deployed multiple times in support of Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. He took a leadership position with the United States Department of Energy where he served as a Federal Director and later retired as the Director of Training and Leadership Development. He became the Associate Director of Professional Development and Community Education at Washington State University before becoming a Behavioral Scientist and Business Consultant specializing in performance improvement and leadership development. Semi holds a BS in Business Administration summa cum laude, MS in Human Resource Development (PHR), and is completing his PhD. In Organizational Psychology. He holds multiple post graduate certifications. "
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Washington in 2024.
Party: No party preference
Incumbent: No
Submitted Biography: "Brian Bogen is a small-business owner with multiple businesses across the northwest. He is an Eagle Scout and recipient of the Silver Beaver Award for distinguished service to the Chief Seattle Council of the Boy Scouts of America. He is a board member of the Chief Seattle Council and is a former board member of Long Live the Kings, a non-profit supporting wild salmon restoration and sustainable fishing. He helped secure $30 million for a theater in Seattle and served on the ACT Theater Board. He also served as a councilmember for the Town of Woodway, where he was first appointed and then elected to the office. Brian holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Washington and attended the Albers Graduate School of Business and Economics at Seattle University as well as the Senior Executive Program of Stanford University. Brian and his wife Lisa split their time between Shoreline and Cle Elum and have three children: Danny, a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps; Lucy, a junior at the University of Oregon; and Shelby, a freshman at Oregon State University."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Washington in 2024.
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Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Submitted Biography: "I am someone who represents the people fairly and equally. I plan to roll out the Freedom Project for all residents of Washington to vote and participate in government at all levels of city, county, and state."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Washington in 2024.
Party: No party preference
Incumbent: No
Submitted Biography: "I have lived in Lake Stevens, Washington for over 18 years and firmly believe that Washington is one of the best states in the country. I am running for Governor to highlight the need for family court reform so that Washington is a better place to live for all families. One of the biggest problems in Washington State is the lack of child custody and support protections that has resulted in a 'F' rating by National Parents Organization. Like many parents, I did not understand how unfairly parents are treated within the biased family court system until I filed for divorce. As an honorably discharged U.S. Army infantry soldier with no criminal record and who had been the stay-at-home parent starting from when my daughter was 3 months old, I expected a collaborative divorce with a 50/50 plan and the sharing of child support (residential credit). What happened instead was a 12-year struggle in which every court commissioner and judge at every local, state, and federal level refused parental equality. Four years ago I began to volunteer for National Parents Organization to help reform the family law system in Washington State. Last year I served on the 2023 Child Support Workgroup to help make recommendations to the Washington legislature to improve child support. A top priority of the next governor should be to enact a Shared Parenting Bill of Rights to reform our failing court system to benefit children."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Washington in 2024.
Party: Independent Party
Incumbent: No
Submitted Biography: "I am a Naval Veteran and formerly homeless. I currently reside in Dayton Wa where I use my free time helping the community through community service after providing long term in home care for my father who passed away in 2018 after suffer a massive stroke. "
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Washington in 2024.
Party: Libertarian Party
Incumbent: No
Submitted Biography: "Michael graduated from the University of Southern California in 2000 with a degree in music performance on the French horn. While working as a freelance musician and English teacher in both Hawaii and Nagoya (Japan), Michael taught himself computer science and transitioned to IT work in 2005 where he was employed as an independent contractor with a branch of the Department of Defense in Okinawa (Japan). In 2013, he moved to Tokyo to take a position with Facebook (Meta), later transferring with the company to Seattle where he currently leads the Enterprise Engineering Field Operations team for the Pacific Northwest. He enjoys photography, hiking, coffee, writing, and sailing. Michael lives aboard his ketch-rigged sailboat with his wife and three sons in Seattle."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Washington in 2024.
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office:
- Attorney General of Washington (Assumed office: 2013)
- King County Council (2003-2013)
Biography: Ferguson received a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Washington in 1989 and a J.D. from New York University School of Law in 1995. He was a lawyer at Preston, Gates, and Ellis, later known as K&L Gates.
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This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Washington in 2024.
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Submitted Biography: "Fred Grant, a distinguished mass media and communications professional, is running for governor of Washington State. His lineage boasts a heritage deeply intertwined with Washington’s past—his great-great-grandfather served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, a prominent member of the inaugural Washington State legislature, and an esteemed envoy to Bolivia under President Benjamin Harrison. Driven by a passionate belief in amplifying the voice of his generation, Fred seeks to unite a divided nation and honor his family’s legacy by leading with strength, innovation, and a commitment to unifying a state that holds both his heritage and his aspirations. Join Fred Grant on a transformative journey towards a united and empowered Washington State."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Washington in 2024.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Submitted Biography: "My name is Jennifer Hoover, and I'm running for Governor because I love Washington State! I care deeply about preserving the protection and rights of all Washingtonians in our beautiful Evergreen state. This is my home, where I was born and raised. But the Washington that I grew up in as a child is not the same as it used to be. With homelessness on the rise, the cost of living, inflation, and crime rates rising over 56% over the past few years, the time to act is NOW. Washington is not going to be the same if we don't start building better policies that protect our citizens, keeping us safer and empowering us to succeed! All Washingtonians deserve to get ahead in life, while feeling less vulnerable on our streets. I believe in Affordable housing for everyone! And as a community activist, I have worked hard to make our streets safer, helped to reduce taxes, and fought against pornographic reading material in our public schools. I collaborated with local legislators and transportation departments to reduce traffic accidents by changing the snow plow activation mandate from 4 inches to 2 inches. This has helped decrease snow and ice buildup and significantly reduce driving hazards, especially on steep hills. When the state claimed there was, "No budget for snow plows", I made sure to demand change (that should have come from our marijuana money), and the snow plows were out the next morning, proving that we did have it in our budget all along."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Washington in 2024.
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Submitted Biography: "We live in a broken system. Washington is on fire: droughts, severe heat waves, and wildfires are ravaging our state and our lives. The machine is going up in smoke, we breathe it every summer. It's become a fact we cannot ignore and that none of our technology or laws have begun to fix. Capitalism makes us consume more and more. It powers an economy designed to destroy our own homes. Unmitigated capitalism has brought unmitigated disasters of wildfire, drought, poverty, melting glaciers, and rising seas. The system must change and change now it will. We will change the system to give back and tend the Earth when we take from it. We will hold the technocratic elite accountable for the destruction consumerism causes. We will create a society that prospers now and in the future. We're taking control of the future now. My name is Chaytan. I love clean air, cold water, rain, trees, and humanity. But we're destroying ourselves and only a new system can change that."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Washington in 2024.
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Submitted Biography: "My life story is one of resilience, advocacy, adaptability, and a deep understanding of the challenges faced by everyday Washingtonians. I was a single mother who experienced homelessness, a veteran, the wife of a union worker, and a small business owner. Born to a Christian pastor mother and a Jewish father, I grew up as the oldest of five, instilling in me the values of resilience, quick learning, and determination from an early age. I've led a nonprofit teaching youth to write and speak on legislative bills, lobbied for college building funding, and presented a bill proposal. Beyond politics, I am an author, business owner, and proud Evergreen graduate who enjoys singing, dancing, painting, and good times with good people. I recognize politics' divisive role in capitalizing on stereotypes to create divisions. Despite my challenging upbringing and living in difficult circumstances, I've broken cycles to be more than a statistic or stereotype. I'm running because I believe in the power of advocacy, both personally and politically, which is why my motto is, "I'm not running; we are running for governor.""
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Washington in 2024.
Party: Trump Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Submitted Biography: "Trump Republican MAGA party, A political street fighter, anti bureaucratic, small town, common sense conservative values, BUILD THE WALL , Make America Great Again, restore the constitution, end political corruption, A REAL OUTSIDER THAT WILL BRING REAL CHANGE TO WASHINGTON, THINK FOR YOURSELF WWG1WGA"
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Washington in 2024.
Party: Nonsense Busters Party
Incumbent: No
Submitted Biography: "Alan Makayev is rather extraordinary, because he liked to study a lot when he was younger. He graduated from secondary school with gold-medal for excellence in studies, then entered medical school and graduated with honors physician diploma (equivalent of MD) . Dissatisfied with ineffectiveness of medical treatments, he wanted to find better options and started looking into studying Oriental and naturopathic medicine. In the meantime he enrolled in 3 other universities studying mostly English and a little Chinese. He graduated from one with excellence, didn't finish the other two because he moved to the US. He only had $200 on him upon arrival and so that wouldn't cover any education. He needed to earn some money and started doing construction. His bossees suggested that he do real estate. He bought, cleaned up, renovated, managed & sold several dozens of properties & created multimillion dollar portfolio. Since he did not have much money at the start, he would buy the worst fixers and turn them into candies by doing a lot of labor himself. He learned how to do everything in the house and to this day he likes hands on approach if he can afford the time. About 10 years ago a strange event happened where like a lightning has pierced his head and it changed the way he thought and understood things. He saw diseases, crime in different way. Some sort of philosophy kind of downloaded and he later wrote a little booklet about it. He thinks education is paramount."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Washington in 2024.
Party: Independence Party
Incumbent: No
Submitted Biography: "“There are only three things that America will remember 2000 years from now when they study this civilization: The Constitution, jazz music and baseball. These are the three most beautiful things this culture's ever created.” - Essayist Gerald Early “America's founders intended powers to be exercised not at the federal level, but by state and local governments, which represent fertile ground for policy innovation,” setting the example of America, as light on the global hill needing infrastructure and economic development at city and state levels." - Secretary Condoleezza Rice; Being a descendant of Chief Justice John Marshall, I am born into the U.S Constitution, as Jazz was born in the USA. It's music shares individuality, improvisation, creativity, and innovation of the American people. Baseball is about all people, sharing it's values of perseverance and teamwork helping us all to overcome adversity. Values of jazz and baseball, that inspire our country, are part of the gritty everyday reality of life in Washington State. These values pulsate through the communities I have worked with and served for many years. I see the global potential of Washington State and our nation, from the grassroots up. It is my dedication to represent you as Governor, making a real difference. As a mother of five children, and14-grandchildren, It is imperative that we leave a legacy for our children to follow, Were only dancing on this earth for a short while!"
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Washington in 2024.
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Submitted Biography: "I'm currently a State Senator representing East King County in the legislature. I was first elected to the Senate in 2012. I'm the current chair of our state construction budget, and I'm the Senate representative on the Washington State Investment Board that manages our state's $200 billion in public pension assets. My wife Kelley is an elementary school teacher in Issaquah. We have six kids, ranging in age from Penelope in 9th grade to Isabel who is starting her senior year at Western Washington University in Bellingham. Outside of my senate role I own and operate a Zeeks Pizza restaurant and four Ben & Jerry's scoop shops. Since opening our first location in 2009 we have always provided healthcare benefits for our full-time staff. In the State Senate I have played the leading role in finding bipartisan solutions to the biggest challenges facing our state. As the chair of our state construction budget I'm proud that my budget passes the Senate 49-0. That is because I take the time to listen to both urban and rural voices, and to voices from both western and eastern Washington. I have a proven track record of working across the aisle. During my time in the Senate I have been the champion of legislation to improve financial literacy in our public schools. I have also successfully passed bills to address our workforce shortage for nurses, and to expand access to college for all Washington residents."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Washington in 2024.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Submitted Biography: "My record of service to others began in 1971 when I joined the Air Force Reserves’ 939th Military Airlift Command. Following my time in the military, I embarked on a 33-year law enforcement career at the King County Sheriff’s Office; starting as a beat cop before being appointed (then elected) King County Sheriff. As lead detective of the tenacious and dedicated investigative team, I worked alongside officers, medical examiners, and volunteers to capture the monster known as the “Green River Killer” who senselessly murdered countless women in Washington State during the 1980s and 1990s. In 2004, responding to calls for service in Washington D.C., I ran for and won election to Washington’s 8th Congressional District covering large parts of King and Pierce Counties – serving 14 years before leaving congress. After leaving Congress in 2019, I responded to a modern-day humanitarian crisis by working throughout Central America to combat human trafficking. My wife Julie and I live in Chelan, have three children, six grandchildren and five great grandchildren - all residing in Washington state."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Washington in 2024.
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Submitted Biography: "I am retired from King County Metro as an equipment inspector. I have been involved as an advisor to elective officials nationwide for over 4 plus decades. If I can use one word to describe myself it will be resilience. I have two daughters. My baby Girl is a Tennessee State Trooper. My oldest is a Director of a nonprofit organization here in Washington state. I spent my whole life traveling around the world, speaking as a peace ambassador on culture competency. resolving issues through a peaceful manner. The one thing I will take with me to Olympia is the 3 L’s – Listen, Learn then Lead. This has been my mantra for over 10 years and every time I run for a public office, I use this saying to help me give my all to every citizen of Washington State."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Washington in 2024.
Party: Green Party
Incumbent: No
Submitted Biography: "I am a lifelong Washingtonian, a software engineer, and political organizer unsatisfied with the leadership of our state and nation. I graduated from the University of Washington with a Bachelor of Science in Informatics: Human-Computer Interaction. I went on to work up and down Washington's tech industry from the scrappy Code.org to the multinational Microsoft. After watching the election of Donald Trump, living through COVID, and a lifetime of economic recession, inflation, and stagnation - I came to realize that our political system would not rise to address the needs of our time unless ordinary people like myself were ready to care enough about their community to become an active participant in it. I left Microsoft to become a political organizer and focused primarily on the issue of universal public healthcare. I began volunteering with the nonprofit Whole Washington working to pass statewide single payer healthcare in Washington via both legislation and ballot initiative. I continue to push for this in my current position as executive director. I am running to lead by my example, to put the world I want to see on the ballot in Washington, and to give voters a true political alternative."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Washington in 2024.
Party: Constitution Party
Incumbent: No
Submitted Biography: "I am a mother sister and daughter multi-business owner coworker associate indigenous Aboriginal American. I was born in Oklahoma City I’ve spent most of my teen and adult years in Orlando Florida. I’m 27 years of age Very passionate strong ,and determined."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Washington in 2024.
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Party: No party preference
Incumbent: No
Submitted Biography: "I'm not a politician. I'm not a lobbyist. I do not know anyone in politics. I do not have any friends nor acquaintances in politics. I have no ties to corporations or special interest groups. I'm not corrupted by politics. I'm a wife and mother of four. I've worked in healthcare for over 20 years and am educated in law and politics. I authentically represent The People. I've lived in Washington State my entire life and I travel around the state each camping season with my kids."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Washington in 2024.
Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses
Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
Survey responses from candidates in this race
Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
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Ricky Anthony (D)
Learned Experience
Efficient Administration
Semi Bird (R)
He has the knowledge, skills, and abilities to bring real solutions with action to address the out-of-control homelessness, lawlessness, and breakdown of our economy and public education system.
We will usher in a new era of grown and prosperity for our beautiful state and its citizens by supporting small business growth, lower taxes, job creation, and neighborhood revitalization.
Brian Bogen (No party preference)
Brian's focus is on transforming education to ensure every student succeeds. He believes in diving deeper into K-12 funding to improve student outcomes, taking immediate action in low-performing districts, and allocating funds to boost educational attainment and reduce dropout rates. Brian prioritizes spending on students over administrators and supports school choice and Career and Technical Education to cater to diverse learning needs. He advocates for accountability with one central agency overseeing school performance and the State Auditor reviewing district spending. Brian is committed to robust educational funding with a focus on results, setting clear goals, and taking decisive action to prepare all students for their futures.
Brian is committed to responsible financial management for Washington State. He opposes the practice of using volatile or one-time funds for ongoing expenses, which risks cuts to essential services or higher taxes. He believes lawmakers must accept the shortcomings of the capital gains excise tax and the Climate Commitment Act, both of which fall short in funding promises while increasing costs for taxpayers. Brian advocates for a budget that reflects shared values, prioritizing the environment, public safety, education, housing, and support for the vulnerable. He believes in crafting a sustainable budget that ensures long-term stability and prosperity for all Washingtonians.
Edward Cale (D)
I will bring prosperity to all who reside in Washington with everyone's help.
I will correct the corruption in government and in our society.
Jim Clark (No party preference)
Child support reforms are needed to automatically share money between parental homes that share custody (Residential Credit). This ensures that child support equally protects children in both parental homes and that payments are more equitable and predictable, which in turn will reduce conflict. Currently, even in the families that already share custody 50/50, child support is shared in only one out of four cases.
Washington State needs to reform court funding and staffing levels so that justice is speedy and cases are not unnecessarily delayed. Regardless of whether an innocent parent needs custody restored or a guilty parent needs custody removed, delays in the court system hurt children and should not drag on while children grow up.
William Combs (Independent)
Washington State needs to begin producing more of it's food locally by increasing the amount of livestock raised and growing more food using locally sourced greenhouses and hydroponic farms. Importing our food from outside the US using a very fragile and price sensitive oil makes us less secure during times of crisis.
The homeless problem cannot be solved by ignoring it. Offering services to homeless after they have completed many hours of community service showing they really want the help is the first step in dealing with the problem.
Michael DePaula (L)
Fortifying citizen self-defense, community readiness, and emergency preparations for potential municipal failures as the national debt crisis widens.
Privatization of key industries to reduce the state budget per item #1 ensuring service continuity.
Fred Grant (D)
As a candidate for governor of the state of Washington, I want to bring fresh and new ideas to our government and solve problems by thinking outside of the box. I will work to create a government that is more transparent, accountable, and efficient.
I am committed to making Washington a great place to live, work, and raise a family. My vision is to make Washington a leading state for other states to follow its example.
Jennifer Hoover (R)
I have a passionate heart to look out for the most optimum living for our Veterans. I intend to make sure every Veteran receives comfort, care, and most of all, affordable housing!
I also advocated for more accessible property tax information for seniors who are not online and may struggle with complex processes. As a result, the Treasury's office agreed to create clearer materials, helping many elderly families understand and potentially reduce their high property taxes for the first time. And it worked I helped several families reduce their property taxes!In my role as a local leader and counselor, I have stood up for innocent victims of harassment, ensuring that those who use their power to oppress others through fear and intimidation are held accountable and removed from their positions. I will continue to fight for justice and stand up against bullying. I have a wonderful plan for anti-bullying programs for all schools and believe that there should be special care for those who are most vulnerable. I would like to target the prevention of bullying of students in order to avoid depression and suicide, reducing (the number one reason for death among 14-year-olds in our society today).
All Washingtonians deserve to get ahead in life, while feeling less vulnerable on our streets. Creating a better economy and safer neighborhoods is a must for me. I know we can do better, as so many people simply want to spend more quality time with loved ones and families.
Chaytan Inman (D)
Resilient Washington
Educated Washington
EL'ona Kearney (D)
Removing Labels: Labels have a dehumanizing effect, and it's crucial to eliminate stereotypes that create divisions within our communities. My mission is to celebrate diversity and foster unity, transcending the confines of data and statistics to gain a profound understanding of the distinct needs in every community. Recognizing that there's no one-size-fits-all solution, we must ensure that every voice is heard, enabling us to bridge the gaps in needs and equity. This allows everyone to pursue the American dream, without instilling fear of taking from one group to benefit another.moving Labels-Seeing people beyond stereotypes & data, addressing needs
Advocacy and Unity: I believe in the power of advocacy. It allows people to survive unsurvivable situations. I understand it both personally and politically. I aim to bring about positive change that unites communities to work together for the betterment of Washington State.
Leon Lawson (Trump Republican)
IMMIGRATION REFORM SLASH REGULATIONS.
REIGN IN AGENCY DEFERENCE OVER INTERPRETATION OF LAW AND CODIFACATION.
Alan Makayev (Nonsense Busters)
Crime and lawlessness, like anything else, is a multifaceted problem, some of it is visible and some is not.
1. On one hand, the situation is artificially created by the people in charge, so that the population is very busy dealing with this NONSENSE and won't have time to pay attention to how corrupted the politicians are so they can continue to rip us off, to inflate prices and taxes and enslave us more.
2. They also claim that they can hire more police officers quickly and get rid of the crime. Well, after De-funding the police, the cops have very little trust in them and so won't rush in to get hired.
3. One has to understand what crime is and what's causing it order to clamp it down. They have no clue.Alan knows how to get things done with little money and he will look at the budget and remove all the fluff and use the excess of funds to pay off the tolls, cut prices of car tabs and high gas prices. He will evaluate property taxes and see if those can be lowered. He understands housing better than any candidate and will find all kinds of solutions to get housing costs more affordable. This state will become business friendly and will attempt to bring back Boeing, Amazon and other businesses that left. There will be more freeways and roads built. Most problems will dissipate on their own with the right policies and discipline. The incentives to behave badly will be removed.
Rosetta Marshall-Williams (Independence)
Baseball: As the American people, we all have a position to play, even when were sitting on the bench, you are just as valuable to the American team.
Don't ever forget that!
Jazz: Never allow the storms of life to cause you to drown out the melodies and the beat of your heart for America, for this is the strength of the foundations, if we will just follow the instructions and walk in the light of unity we can make it! The music is the sound of endurance which will leave a forever impression in our memory.
"America is great because she is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, she will cease to be great." - Democracy In America.Come on America! Every man, woman, boy, and girl we can make the change.
Mark Mullet (D)
1) We can fight climate change without having the highest gas prices in America. 2) I have a proven track record of voting against unnecessary tax increases, like the long-term care payroll tax (I'm supporting the initiative to make this tax optional). 3) As the chair of our state construction budget, I know from firsthand experience that there is too much red tape in our building permit process, which is driving up costs and making out state unaffordable.
I promise to build more housing, which will be the key to making our state affordable again.
We have to make progress on public safety. I'm proud to be endorsed by both WACOPS and LAW (Police Chiefs and Sheriffs) because I have been the public safety champion in the Senate.
The state needs to step up and be a better financial partner to any city or county who wants to make investments in local public safety. This means access to secure substance abuse treatment facilities, more mental health access, and more officers on the street. We also need these officers to know that the Governor will have their back when times get tough.
We need a small business owner in the Governor's office so we can create more good paying jobs. Every Governor for the past three decades has been a lawyer, it is time for a small business owner mentality in the Governor's office. This will enable us to get more bang for our buck out of our current tax dollars instead of asking for new taxes every year.
Dave Reichert (R)
For many years under Governor Jay Inslee and Attorney General Bob Ferguson our state has had the lowest number of police officers per capita in the nation, while homicide, robberies, and vehicle theft are at an all-time high. Simply throwing money at the problem won’t get us out of this mess.
It’s time to allow our officers to do their job by enforcing the law and giving them the support they need.
Washington had the sixth highest homelessness in the U.S. last year. Between 2020 and 2022, Washington experienced a 15.6% increase in homelessness, the fourth largest increase in homelessness in the nation, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Services Office of Community Planning.
The first thing I would do is appoint someone as the Director of Homelessness in Washington state. You’ve got to be efficient about this. Somebody in charge to find out what’s working, apply money to what’s working, and find other programs.
The Cost of Living in Washington State is out of control. Since Governor Inslee took office in 2013, The CATO Institute has given the state of Washington an “F” on its biennial fiscal report card. The people of Washington State have dealt with substantially increased taxes and spending which has led the State’s Cost of Living to be too high to bear.
Don Rivers (D)
Public Safety is a top concern for Washington voters, as we seek communities where we can live and work for ourselves and our families without fear of the rising crime rates or inadequate housing. Policy makers should use and promote more effective strategies to enhance community engaged investing as well as government funding. Law enforcement agencies must be trained or retrained towards a more multicultural and individualized training rather than that of older days.
Women's Rights - I wholeheartedly support a women’s right to be treated fairly and equally. No one has the right to choose for them.
Bobbie Samons (No party preference)
If you want something you've never had, you have to do something you've never done. This declares the ability to change the course of events by changing the decision you make. Einstein told us that insanity is making the same decision repeatedly while expecting a different result. I want to escape the two-party system. I want to rebuild our political communities on the ashes of corruption. I want the People of this state to secure their prosperity over corporate prosperity for once in our lives. I want the political parties to know that the People of this state are no longer subservient to their agendas.
"The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears...and if all others accepted the lie which the party imposed...then the lie passed into history and became the truth." Since 2020 this state is looking awfully Orwellian and this will not be tolerated. The Revised Codes of Washington DECLARES the People of this state do not yield their sovereignty to the agencies that serve them. The People also do not give our public servants the right to decide what is good for us to know, and what is not good for us to know. We will no longer be propagandized to perpetuate the two-party system.
Andre Stackhouse (G)
Washington belongs to its people, not the wealthy, not a political class, not corporations. This must apply both to our political system and our economy. Democratic control of both our political and economic systems must be expanded.
Our political democracy can be expanded in a number of ways including preferential voting systems (like ranked-choice voting or STAR), public campaign finance, and strengthening our citizen-initiated ballot measure process.
Our economy can be democratized through the introduction and expansion of public institutions and universal services. For instance a public bank can help incentivize worker-owned cooperatives and housing co-ops while universal healthcare works to decommodify healthcare.
It's time for a politics of the visionary and possible - it's time to end the politics of low expectations. Washington state has a higher GDP per capita than some of the wealthiest nations of the world like Norway and Sweden. We are home to 13 billionaires, leading industries, and top research institutions.
Ricky Anthony (D)
Semi Bird (R)
Education
Economic Growth
Accountability and Transparency
Energy Independence
Performance Improvement
Brian Bogen (No party preference)
Edward Cale (D)
Jim Clark (No party preference)
William Combs (Independent)
Michael DePaula (L)
Additionally, one cannot really claim to be a Libertarian without being concerned over the states' slide into ever-increasing authoritarian schemes. The Covid-19 pandemic has brought with it not only economic weakness, but an accompanying wave of free speech concerns and a general erosion of what used to be considered core constitutional rights--free assembly, medical autonomy, and their associated rights of commerce and movement.
The core of my administration will center around acting as a check on legislative overstep whether it comes from a Democratic or Republican-led legislative body, ensuring citizens' rights are not only NOT whittled away, but that they are strengthened as the country enters a period of crisis.
Fred Grant (D)
Jennifer Hoover (R)
What Washington needs is a leader; one who fights hard for you your family and especially our children, pushing back against corrupt policies.
I have a vision for all Washingtonians to move forward into greater success, productivity, comfort, and care, especially for our senior veterans, single mothers, and our precious children. I know that every single decision I make will have a direct impact on our future generations. That is why I plan to prioritize the safety of our children.
Chaytan Inman (D)
We search for solutions to our destruction that we cause in technological breakthroughs and pin our hopes on far fetched sciences. This is a complete diversion. Technology may provide relief, but it does not address the context of a system that rewards exploitation of resources and people. That is where we have to start. We cannot outconsume overconsumption, or exploit away the life's exploitation. For example, electric vehicles rely on unsustainable exploitation of rare minerals like cobalt, and cheap, backbreaking mining labor in third world countries which itself creates immense toxic tailings. This is an unacceptable 'solution' to our destruction of the environment.
If we fundamentally give all life and resources legislative rights such that when we take resources from the ground, or pollute resources like clean air and water, then there is judicial and legislative recourse and we set the foundation for a system that values humanity and life on Earth. Enfranchising the earth allows the practices that best maintain life to compete with the destruction and exploitation unregulated globalized capitalism brings.
Washington will take responsibility and prosper. We will become the only state to truly tend our deep gifts that the life has given us.
EL'ona Kearney (D)
2. Unhoused Community: I have experienced homelessness with children, and I understand the challenges our elders face in securing housing. Recognizing the various categories of homelessness, I believe that addressing each area according to its unique needs can lead to more effective and efficient assistance. 3. Restorative Justice: I have family members who embody what reform should look like. We need fair and just policies that address issues such as prison reform and the reduction of recidivism rates. 4. Education: As a mother and advocate, I believe in equal access to quality education. I am dedicated to addressing issues related to school funding, teacher support, parents' rights to know what is being taught, and educational equity.
Other policies I am passionate about and have first hand experience include: 5. Community Development 6. Environmental Stewardship 7. Social Equity 8. Small Business Support 9. Union Worker Support
10. Veterans' Rights
Leon Lawson (Trump Republican)
Alan Makayev (Nonsense Busters)
Rosetta Marshall-Williams (Independence)
Mark Mullet (D)
1) Improving financial literacy in our public schools (SB 5720). 2) Expanding access to college in the high school classes so more high school students can earn college credit while in high school without having to pay extra money (SB 5048). 3) I was part of the Senate negotiation team that passed the 2022 transportation budget. Traffic sucks, and we need a Governor who will prioritize infrastructure investments. The average Washington resident currently wastes 58 hours a year stuck in traffic. We can and must do better.
4) Led the effort to join the Nurse Licensure Compact so out-of-state nurses aren't stuck with red tape to get a job here. (SB 5499)
Dave Reichert (R)
Don Rivers (D)
Bobbie Samons (No party preference)
Andre Stackhouse (G)
Ricky Anthony (D)
Semi Bird (R)
Jim Clark (No party preference)
William Combs (Independent)
Michael DePaula (L)
Fred Grant (D)
Jennifer Hoover (R)
Alan Makayev (Nonsense Busters)
Rosetta Marshall-Williams (Independence)
One of the great humanitarians of our age, Saint Teresa of Calcutta.
“If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” “Peace begins with a smile.” “We fear the future because we are wasting today.” “Not all of us can do great things. ... “Yesterday is gone. ... “NOT ALL OF US CAN DO GREAT THINGS. BUT WE CAN DO SMALL THINGS WITH GREAT LOVE.” — MOTHER TERESA
Pocahontas was born a daughter of the chief of the Powhatan confederation, Wahunsenacah. She was an important agent in the evolution of relations between the settlers of Jamestown, Virginia, and the Native Americans of the region.
“Like two eagles soar as one upon the river of the wind with the promise of forever, we will take the past and learn how to begin.” “We are all connected to each other, in a circle, in a hoop that never ends.” “Two hopeful hearts, two lands apart. Together there's no end to what our dream can start.” “Sometimes the right path is not always the easiest.” “My world has changed, and so have I. I have learned to choose, and I have learned to say goodbye.” “Listen with your heart, you will understand.” — Pocahontas
Dr. King was a prominent activist and prolific writer and public speaker throughout his life. Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech and world Activist.
"Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice, say that I was a drum major for peace, I was a drum major for righteousness, and all the other shallow things will not matter." "Make a career of humanity. Commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a better person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in."
— Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Mark Mullet (D)
Don Rivers (D)
Bobbie Samons (No party preference)
Andre Stackhouse (G)
Semi Bird (R)
Edward Cale (D)
Jim Clark (No party preference)
William Combs (Independent)
Michael DePaula (L)
Fred Grant (D)
Jennifer Hoover (R)
Alan Makayev (Nonsense Busters)
Rosetta Marshall-Williams (Independence)
Mark Mullet (D)
Dave Reichert (R)
Don Rivers (D)
Bobbie Samons (No party preference)
I'd recommend reading The COINTELPRO Papers by Ward Churchill and Jim Vander Wall. People will start to understand why the political movements of the past were unsuccessful, and how the government uses our alphabet agencies to keep us under political control. I'd suggest reading The End of America by Naomi Wolf, so the People can see that both political parties are executing Fascist tactics at every step and have been actively using Fascist techniques since 2020. I highly recommend researching Fascism and its components. Then the People can start to see how they closed down an open society after invoking a terrifying external threat. They demonized the enemy, which was "invisible". They maintained the "enemy" for functionality, and they asserted the superiority of the agency leader's intellect over abstract and universal reason. Even though the Establishment controls Chomsky, it's still beneficial to read Noam Chomsky's "Manufactured Consent", to learn how hard we're propagandized. It's really amazing actually; not the propaganda itself, but the fact that most people have no idea it's happening. I'd suggest reading Dr. Mary's Monkeys by Edward Haslam. I recommend this because if you've never cracked a book, or figured out what an adjuvant is, everything you know about vaccines is propaganda from drug companies and people that benefit off your ignorance.
My political philosophy is very clear; I cannot be propagandized, I cannot be gaslit, and I do not support political parties.
Andre Stackhouse (G)
Ricky Anthony (D)
Moreover, an elected official should proficiently simplify complex issues, making them more accessible and understandable for the general public. They must be proactive in closing policy loopholes and advancing proposals that streamline priorities, save costs, and improve the efficiency of governance.
They must be action-oriented and attentively involved in restoring victims' emotional and material losses and providing opportunities for dialogue, negotiation, and problem-solving.
They must be intuitive, demonstrate political acumen, contest assumptions, clarify misunderstandings, and address conflicts when policies, regulations, or rules appear to undermine stability instead of backing it.
An elected official must be resolute in their commitment to safeguarding women's rights. With intent, they should ensure that all individuals, regardless of gender, are not only treated with respect but also have legal protections for their life and livelihood.
An elected official is self-evident and has proven trustworthiness and credibility. They should also be able to engage and attract a diverse array of investors, including those from the African American community, and establish balanced commercial partnerships both domestically and globally. The elected official should exhibit diplomatic acuteness and have the capability to unify Memorandums of Understanding that could potentially evolve into bilateral agreements.
Lastly, they must have the talent to unite people behind their initiatives, channeling America's proud traditions that have driven social and economic progress.
Semi Bird (R)
Edward Cale (D)
Jim Clark (No party preference)
William Combs (Independent)
Michael DePaula (L)
Fred Grant (D)
Jennifer Hoover (R)
I believe an elected official of Washington should look out for our own citizens while keeping them safe and secure, especially when it comes to their housing. I think an elected official shouldn't be prideful or fake, or take all the credit for the work others did for them, but give credit where credit is due. I also do not believe there should be "favoritism" to those who are wealthy, but a good leader does not discriminate based on income. I believe that if you're going to run for office, you need to really care about others like I do.
Choosing me for your Governor will keep us in good hands, safe and secure, able to sleep better at night. I believe that you and I have the ability to rise out of where we have fallen, and as your Governor, I believe that we will begin to rise together.
Chaytan Inman (D)
Leon Lawson (Trump Republican)
Alan Makayev (Nonsense Busters)
The guy with brain will create the conditions to prevent the fight from occuring. Many times those so called leaders will lead you off a cliff, while humble wise guy will just simply say : stop! To prevent you from falling, misery, injury, etc, whatever it may be.
It is very important to know and understand the following:
1. What is disease, what is causing it and why it is happening. 2. What is crime, what is causing it and why it is happening
3. What is punishment, what is causing it and why it is happening. What is the proper definition of the word punishment and what is this punishment designed for?
Rosetta Marshall-Williams (Independence)
Integrity: One must govern with a pure heart in all that you do, with the utmost integrity. An official must never use his or her office to favor partisan in support of or in opposition, even in social media accounts. We must uphold the checks and balances of our US Constitution. We must be a people above reproach.
Transparency: I believe the people of Washington has a right to an open policy when conducting all business of the state. Emails and other communications must be secured with a permanent record for immediate opening when government requested.
Independent: To stand firm in treating all parties fairly adhering to the laws of the state. It is imperative that this stand is taken when making decisions affecting contributors.
Fairness: Open communication can mitigate potential issues of unfairness. State administrators must be fair in reaching out to all community stakeholders when making decisions that could seem potentially biased. We don’t endorse or make gifts to candidates that support or oppose ballot issues. Exemplify high standards when contracting for services like open and competitive biddings.
Competence: We must serve all precincts with equitable attention to detail. There must be wisdom, knowledge, and understanding in the official capacity of office.
Mark Mullet (D)
When I earned my Master's in Public Affairs from the Evans School at the University of Washington in 2008 the message was simple. Good leaders are not focused on speaking, but rather focused on listening. During my time in the Senate I have gone out of my way to listen to all the voices, both urban and rural, and eastern and western Washington, to make sure everybody's concerns are being addressed.
You can also ask any of the Senators who have served with me for the past twelve years, I have always kept every promise and have never gone back on my word. We need leaders who the voters know they can trust to be honest, and this has been my track record in the Senate. I would rather be honest and tell the truth than try to make everybody happy by changing my tune depending on what group I am speaking with.
Dave Reichert (R)
Don Rivers (D)
Establishing a robust system to track and fully disclose political contributions and expenditures. Strengthen whistleblower protections to encourage individuals within government to report corruption without fear of retaliation. Enforce stricter penalties for public officials involved in corrupt practices. Enhance Ethics and Conduct Standards. Implement rigorous ethics training and codes of conduct for elected officials and public officials. Strengthen conflict of interest laws and enforce them effectively. Promote the establishment of an independent ethics commission to investigate allegations of corruption and misconduct.
Strengthen legal frameworks by reviews and update existing laws related to government transparency, procurement, and accountability to ensure they are comprehensive and aligned with the best practices. Establish mechanisms for more efficient and effective prosecution of corrupt officials, including specialized anti-corruption courts or units.
Bobbie Samons (No party preference)
Andre Stackhouse (G)
Elected officials are elected to represent a constituency but they are also elected to do a job and provide leadership such that they may surpass the attention, expertise, and judgement most members of the public are able or willing to put into society's issues. In this way, they are supposed to combine the best of the public they represent and what they have to offer as an individual elected to lead.
Doing this is incredibly challenging and requires the synthesis of many skills, characteristics, and principles key among them integrity - the ability to act in the public interest over personal interest, respect for government - those who don't should not presume to govern, empathy - essential to the understanding of the many needs of the public, and last a love for people, planet, and collective prosperity.
Semi Bird (R)
Edward Cale (D)
Jim Clark (No party preference)
William Combs (Independent)
Michael DePaula (L)
And while I think those working in government can be served well by having a background in law or political science, I think the common tactic of going with the career politician who traditionally have had these backgrounds has actually served us poorly in the long run. We could use more everyday men and woman with passion running for office and less "professional politicians".
Beyond these, I think dogged determinism, empathy, justice, and humility all have a part to play in a good leader.
Fred Grant (D)
Jennifer Hoover (R)
Alan Makayev (Nonsense Busters)
Rosetta Marshall-Williams (Independence)
Mark Mullet (D)
Dave Reichert (R)
Don Rivers (D)
Bobbie Samons (No party preference)
Andre Stackhouse (G)
Ricky Anthony (D)
For this reason, an elected official has a responsibility to demonstrate intellect when handling sensitive matters in this role, they should lead with empathy and insight, fostering decisions that mirror wisdom and understanding. This approach is key to promoting stability and addressing the needs of all. Therefore, upon taking office, they must introduce proposals to mitigate risks, identify overlooked hazards, and ease vulnerabilities by advancing real solutions for all, not just for a select few.
Most importantly, an elected official's primary responsibility is to uphold sovereignty and ensure community safety. On the same note, they are entrusted with the noble duty of ensuring safety by deterring civil disorder and any attempts to dismantle or aggressively seek to reform an existing government system.
Handle sensitive topics: Resolve climate issues, extinguish smoldering conflicts, and quell potentially rising temperatures to decrease the possibility of civil unrest.
Mitigate survival instincts in individuals, which could potentially dispel reasonable behavior, escalate gun-related deaths and crime, and exacerbate socio-political instability.
Semi Bird (R)
Brian Bogen (No party preference)
Edward Cale (D)
Jim Clark (No party preference)
William Combs (Independent)
Michael DePaula (L)
2. To veto/sign bills into law, as appropriate, 3. To make political appointments as required by the state constitution, 4. To grant pardons, as appropriate, 5. To monitor the actions of state officers,
6. To act as commander-in-chief to the state military
Fred Grant (D)
-Supervising the conduct of all executive and ministerial offices. -Ensuring that all offices are filled. -Appointing the heads of departments, agencies, and institutions. -Serving as commander-in-chief of the Washington Militia.
-Enforcing state laws
Jennifer Hoover (R)
"To wash and clean ourselves and remove evil deeds (corruption) from our site. 'To stop doing what is evil and wrong. 'To learn to do right, to seek justice and correct the oppressor. 'To defend the fatherless and plead the cause of the widow and the orphan.
'To come together in one United state, and reason together so that we can bring healing too our current situation."
Alan Makayev (Nonsense Busters)
Rosetta Marshall-Williams (Independence)
The US flag represents unity as the colors are red, white, and blue. There is no separation in our flag, so why should there be disunity among the people. We will work together! The governor's primary responsibilities are to: Serve as the state's chief executive officer and oversees the functions of the executive branch of government. Report to the General Assembly and the citizens of Washington on the condition of the state each January. Recommend legislation to the General Assembly. Review bills that are approved by both the House and Senate.
The governor can sign the legislation and it will become law. If a bill is vetoed, it is returned to the General Assembly. Issue executive orders on matters important to the state. Serve as commander-in-chief of the state's armed forces. He also may grant reprieves, commutations, and pardons. Qualifications and tenure Legislative—including budget and veto—authority, Appointment sovereignty, and Clemency authority.
Mark Mullet (D)
I have applied this same mentality to running my four Ben & Jerry's scoop shops and my Zeeks Pizza restaurant today. We motivate our staff to work hard, but make sure everybody is treated fairly.
This is the mentality we need in the Governor's office. We have to get more bang for our buck out of our current tax dollars, not just keep asking for new taxes every year. To do this successfully we will need a Governor who is focused on getting productivity out of our state agencies, not just trying to find a new program to start to get on the evening news.
Dave Reichert (R)
Don Rivers (D)
Bobbie Samons (No party preference)
1. Upholding the state and federal Constitution. 2. Preventing corruption. 3. Protecting the People. 4. Employing logic and common sense to solve issues, free of political party influence and agenda.
5. Administer the executive office duties as required by law.
Andre Stackhouse (G)
The Governor is the chief executive of the state of Washington elected by a statewide majority and therefore has a mandate with which to set broad vision for the state government including policy goals as well as regulatory standards through agencies and administrative and executive policy regarding how the Governor intends to execute the laws of the land.
The Governor is a public servant and must maintain a high degree of accessibility and transparency to public both directly and through the press. The Governor must listen to the needs of constituents and be responsive to them. Especially in times of emergency and crisis the Governor may need to take executive action in order to quickly resolve issues before they get worse and keep the people of Washington safe.
However, the Governor must also recognize that they do not lead alone and must govern with the consent and participation of the public via both direct citizen participation and through the elected legislature. A Governor must build coalition, partnership, and solidarity with the public, the legislature, the federal government, and the courts in order to design and implement real solutions that will stand the test of time and continue to deliver to the people.
Semi Bird (R)
Brian Bogen (No party preference)
Edward Cale (D)
Jim Clark (No party preference)
William Combs (Independent)
Michael DePaula (L)
Fred Grant (D)
Jennifer Hoover (R)
Alan Makayev (Nonsense Busters)
Superior education system. Lowest crime rate in history, overhauled department of correctins.
Society that knows and understands what Purpose of Life is and what are the most important three things in life.
Rosetta Marshall-Williams (Independence)
Never forget the voices of the cloud of witnesses gone before us. If we fail to learn from our mistakes we will continue to repeat the past, this will surely destroy a nation.
If we the people of America allow truth, wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and faith to be our leaning post, we will never stand crooked. For together we stand, divided we fall. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Mark Mullet (D)
Don Rivers (D)
Bobbie Samons (No party preference)
Andre Stackhouse (G)
Ricky Anthony (D)
Jim Clark (No party preference)
William Combs (Independent)
Michael DePaula (L)
Fred Grant (D)
Jennifer Hoover (R)
Rosetta Marshall-Williams (Independence)
I was 5-years old, but I remember so distinctively because I watched my mother cry all day.
Five years later on Thursday, 4 April 1968 at 6:05 P.M., Martin Luther King was shot dead while standing on a balcony outside his second-floor room at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee.
This was the day the church was called a fast, and no one was allowed to eat all day and my stomach was crying! I was 10-years old. My whole community was paralyzed.
Mark Mullet (D)
Don Rivers (D)
Bobbie Samons (No party preference)
Andre Stackhouse (G)
Ricky Anthony (D)
Edward Cale (D)
Jim Clark (No party preference)
William Combs (Independent)
Michael DePaula (L)
Fred Grant (D)
Jennifer Hoover (R)
Chaytan Inman (D)
I wouldn’t have admitted it at the time, and it may just be the nostalgia speaking, but I loved that job. I remember the clear air that smelled so poignantly of the pine needles and sap from the freshly snapped branches and was steeped in the smells of the mud from the fresh rains. The yard was a place I helped shape. I did not own it. I certainly did not control it. But I was a part of it. We tended the trees, the plants, we were a part of the water and nutrients that cycled through the soil, we shaped and prevented eroding soil and cared for the ecosystems of plants around the massive roots of the fir trees.
This was my first job, and in a sense, it is still my only job.
Leon Lawson (Trump Republican)
Rosetta Marshall-Williams (Independence)
Mark Mullet (D)
Don Rivers (D)
Bobbie Samons (No party preference)
Andre Stackhouse (G)
Ricky Anthony (D)
My way of thinking evolved, shifting my attitude throughout my journey, asking "whose needs I can meet rather than who will meet mine." Furthermore, I recognized that, most often, life's difficulties may not always be deliberate acts to cause physical, mental, or emotional setbacks. Above all, they are customary stepping stones towards growth, adventure, and self-discovery.
I bring these lessons with me: selfless service, focusing intently on people's needs and well-being. I am committed to using my time in office to enhance citizens' lives, not merely enduring the role but enjoying the privilege and responsibility it brings.
Semi Bird (R)
Edward Cale (D)
Jim Clark (No party preference)
William Combs (Independent)
Michael DePaula (L)
Fred Grant (D)
Jennifer Hoover (R)
EL'ona Kearney (D)
Alan Makayev (Nonsense Busters)
Rosetta Marshall-Williams (Independence)
Alexis de Tocqueville observed the equality of conditions, importance of political participation, influence of religion, and individualism in American society. Democracy in America's summary focuses on the main idea that occupied Tocqueville's thought, namely equality. Tocqueville's later volumes in Democracy in America tend to broaden his reflections to cover the nature of democracy and the trends of his era.
With the understanding that with the founding fathers equality was not equal when it came to African Americans, and Tocqueville was independent enough within himself to bring it to the forefront on his writhings.
Mark Mullet (D)
Don Rivers (D)
Bobbie Samons (No party preference)
Semi Bird (R)
Edward Cale (D)
Jim Clark (No party preference)
William Combs (Independent)
Michael DePaula (L)
Fred Grant (D)
Jennifer Hoover (R)
Rosetta Marshall-Williams (Independence)
Mark Mullet (D)
Don Rivers (D)
Bobbie Samons (No party preference)
So, if I could be any fictional character, I'd be the slaves that rose up against the masters. I'd be the housewives and husbands that ACTUALLY stood up against slavery. I'd be the ACTUAL civil rights leaders that made the movement what it was.
I'd be Bernice Eddy. I'd be Edward Snowden. I'd be Brooke Jackson. I'd be Scott Smith. I'd DEFINITELY be Scott Smith.
Semi Bird (R)
Edward Cale (D)
Jim Clark (No party preference)
Michael DePaula (L)
Fred Grant (D)
Jennifer Hoover (R)
Alan Makayev (Nonsense Busters)
It’s killing people .... to get their wealth, from them - for Their higher net worth.
For those, the elitiest few - the heartless, as they are.
They lie, they say it’s for your good, we’ll get you a free car.
They think they are smart. They have control: of news, TV and Courts.
They vaccinate you under stiff force, And mask all entry ports.
You keep electing same fools, Just different face - that’s all
Your odds of picking a better guy, Are higher with power ball.
You studied poorly in school. Your knowledge - Google taught.
You cannot tell the Lies from Truth. You ARE getting fooled ... a lot.
All can’t be smart, All can’t be rich, All can’t be Beauty queens.
You’ve all been duped! You are chasing Dreams! But ... Somebody else’s dreams.
......................................................
Rosetta Marshall-Williams (Independence)
People of the world today are fading All of us have our ups and downs You better think about it or you won't be around What we need is a little bit of love Sent by One from Heaven above Take it from "T.", it's simple and plain This ain't no game, you know what I'm sayin'?
[Chorus: It's time, time to make a change (We are the people who can do it It's time (Time) time to make a change We are His people, we can do it
[Verse 2: What is the world coming to? Seems like everyone is running from the truth We must stand up and fight Walk into the light We are the people, we can do it, if we try
[Chorus: It's time, time to make a change (We are the people who can do it It's time (Time) time to make a change
We are His people, we can do it.
Mark Mullet (D)
Don Rivers (D)
Bobbie Samons (No party preference)
Semi Bird (R)
Jim Clark (No party preference)
The past 15 years of my life have been completely and unnecessarily changed by the fight to first get equal shared custody of my two children and then for the next 12 years trying to get a child support order that shared support through what is called a residential credit deviation. In all my years, in perhaps dozens of court hearings and going all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court in 2020, never once could I get a ruling or order from the court that equally protected both parental homes.
Fighting for parental equality takes up a considerable portion of my free time even as my children are now both in college and there are no more child custody or child support orders to litigate. I believe if I can reform the court system and make equal shared parenting the default option for all parents in Washington State, then something good will have come out of all my struggles and time spent.
Michael DePaula (L)
Fred Grant (D)
Jennifer Hoover (R)
Alan Makayev (Nonsense Busters)
Rosetta Marshall-Williams (Independence)
Mark Mullet (D)
Don Rivers (D)
Bobbie Samons (No party preference)
Andre Stackhouse (G)
Semi Bird (R)
As a Behavioral Scientist and subject matter expert in organizational development I am uniquely qualified to oversee and influence the improvement of state program capability through the alignment of strategy, structure, people, rewards, metrics, and management processes.
The governor must be a steward of taxpayer dollars with an obligation of fiscal accountability and budget transparency. The governor must strike a balance between manager and leader of the largest organization in the state. Overseeing operations and operating by, with, and through organizational leaders is key. I have consulted all levels of leadership as a business consultant, and served as a Federal Director of Training and Leadership Development. I will drive organizational excellence in state government and facilitate growth and prosperity for Washington citizens.
Brian Bogen (No party preference)
Edward Cale (D)
Jim Clark (No party preference)
William Combs (Independent)
Michael DePaula (L)
Fred Grant (D)
Jennifer Hoover (R)
Chaytan Inman (D)
Leon Lawson (Trump Republican)
Rosetta Marshall-Williams (Independence)
The primary responsibilities are to: Serve as the state's chief executive officer, implement state laws, and oversees the functions of the executive branch of government.
There are also legislative responsibilities, as well as serving as an agent of communications with other states and the federal government. The Governor's executive branch responsibilities include appointing the heads of departments, agencies, and institutions.
Mark Mullet (D)
Dave Reichert (R)
Don Rivers (D)
Bobbie Samons (No party preference)
Top executive also means mitigating issues between state and federal agencies, assisting the People with protecting their economic prosperity, personal rights and sovereignty. This also means, that even though the Executive may not be religious, the executive will still PROTECT religion for those who are, as religious exercise is a Constitutional guarantee. The top executive also carries out the Constitutional and statutory obligations detailed in laws like the Revised Codes of Washington. The top executive should have a top remembering that Article I Section I of the Washington State Constitution says, "All Political Power is inherent in the People". This does not say, all political power is inherent in political parties, nor corporations, nor oligarchies, nor any other entities. ALL Political power is inherent in ONLY the People.
I expect the top executive to set the bar for behavior in the workplace. Right now, the current work environment within the state agencies is a nightmare. I personally followed how the AG harassed, humiliated and discriminated against religious Ukrainians and Americans when the AG usurped legislative function in 2020. He created a form that he unduly influenced subordinate state employees to fill out for a "religious exemption", a form of which violated HIPAA by requiring them to disclose personal identifiable health information under duress. I'm probably the only person who has actually READ HIPAA.
Andre Stackhouse (G)
Semi Bird (R)
It is imperative for the governor to uphold the constitution and protect and maintain the individual rights of Washington citizens. The governor is a servant leader elected to represent ALL citizens.
Edward Cale (D)
Jim Clark (No party preference)
William Combs (Independent)
Providing foster parents and potential foster parents the training necessary when dealing with children who have developed behavioral disorders as a result of abuse from biological parents.
Providing the residents of Washington State access to cheap, renewable and above all else, affordable power.
Working with local city officials in determining what their cities will look like in 100 years to maximize energy efficiency and optimizing public transportation to ensure easy travel and reasonable travel times that encourage people to leave cars at home.
Michael DePaula (L)
Fred Grant (D)
Jennifer Hoover (R)
Leon Lawson (Trump Republican)
Rosetta Marshall-Williams (Independence)
Mark Mullet (D)
Dave Reichert (R)
Don Rivers (D)
Bobbie Samons (No party preference)
Our state law says, "The People of this state do not yield their sovereignty to the agencies that serve them", but they tried to take our sovereignty in 2020, which means every single individual in office at that time who didn't try to stop them from taking our sovereignty, should be fired and banned from ever running for state office again.
Another important responsibility is KNOWING what the laws say and knowing what the state and federal Constitution says so the executive knows right away when a proposed bill, mandate or any other law isn't being followed appropriately. in 2020 our executive branch usurped legislative function by creating a law that required the People to be subjugated to an investigational biological agent under duress, not to promote health, but to promote biopharmaceutical sales. The governor will NEVER have the authority to usurp legislative function during a state of emergency. But this is how we tell the difference between the People's governor and the political party's governor. The People's governor would have never used Fascist tactics like closing an open society to address the issues we faced in 2020.
Andre Stackhouse (G)
Semi Bird (R)
Brian Bogen (No party preference)
Edward Cale (D)
Jim Clark (No party preference)
Michael DePaula (L)
Fred Grant (D)
Jennifer Hoover (R)
Rosetta Marshall-Williams (Independence)
Mark Mullet (D)
Don Rivers (D)
Budget Development as your Governor plays a crucial role in developing the state's budget. I will propose a budget plan to the state legislature that outlines the government's spending priorities, revenue sources, and allocation of funds. Crisis Management in times of emergencies or crises, as Governor taking charge of managing the situation. This includes coordinating with various state agencies, directing disaster response efforts, and ensuring public safety. Appointing Officials I will be that Governor who appoints individuals to various state agencies, boards, and commissions. These appointments impact important policies, regulations, and decision-making processes within the state. Legislative Engagement should be key to any Governor working closely with the state legislature. Advocating for their policy priorities, proposing legislation, negotiating and signing bills into law. Effective collaboration with lawmakers is essential for policy implementation.
Economic Development and supporting economic growth within the state is another key responsibility. That I will strive too so we can be that State to attract businesses, create job opportunities, and enhance the economic well-being of Washington State residents.
Bobbie Samons (No party preference)
The fact that we have elected officials budgeting millions of billions of dollars, but don't know the value of a dollar and have never lived paycheck to paycheck, is one of the most asinine things I've ever seen the People support. Most of the People in this state are so well versed at budgeting $20 dollars for 5 days, that we could systematically dismantle the pseudo budgets offered by political parties and rebuild actual budgets that reflect real evidentiary fiscal needs by the state employees, in less time than it takes a politician to make up non-answer answers.
But that would cut quite a bit of funnels that are currently siphoning funds from these elaborate, chaotic and embellished budgets. Budgets that contract elected officials' friends and family as recipients of taxpayer funds. Budgets that give complicated descriptions to questionable fiscal requests. My involvement would be "if you want money, you better prove it benefits the People", which would ruffle the feathers that don't plan on benefitting the People, but still plan on reaping that monetary award.
Andre Stackhouse (G)
Semi Bird (R)
Edward Cale (D)
Jim Clark (No party preference)
William Combs (Independent)
Michael DePaula (L)
Fred Grant (D)
Jennifer Hoover (R)
Chaytan Inman (D)
Rosetta Marshall-Williams (Independence)
Mark Mullet (D)
Dave Reichert (R)
Don Rivers (D)
Bobbie Samons (No party preference)
Andre Stackhouse (G)
Michael DePaula (L)
Fred Grant (D)
Semi Bird (R)
As governor, I will make it clear that transparency of legislature is key to a healthy government.
I support healthy conflict with an understanding that we can learn from each other and just because we may not agree on an issue, doesn’t mean we cannot respect one another.
Edward Cale (D)
Jim Clark (No party preference)
William Combs (Independent)
Michael DePaula (L)
Fred Grant (D)
Jennifer Hoover (R)
Leon Lawson (Trump Republican)
Rosetta Marshall-Williams (Independence)
Mark Mullet (D)
Dave Reichert (R)
Don Rivers (D)
Bobbie Samons (No party preference)
Andre Stackhouse (G)
Semi Bird (R)
Edward Cale (D)
Jim Clark (No party preference)
William Combs (Independent)
Michael DePaula (L)
Fred Grant (D)
Jennifer Hoover (R)
Chaytan Inman (D)
There is a resilience in Washington. We live and breathe the drizzling rain for more than half the year. But we run, we bike, we walk, we dance under them anyway. In the east, we can only hope for such rain, but we treasure the water of the vast Columbia, the beautiful rivers that spring from the Cascades, and the valleys and the fields. But none of it is given. Everything must be earned, and so it is a gracious resilience that emerges. We endure six months of darkness for the long leisurely cool late May evenings. We deeply appreciate the cold clear water of the Columbia in the dry Eastern Washington deserts. It is a resilience rooted in diversity and deprivation that gives a deep gratitude for all that we have, for every raindrop, every ocean wave, every mountain stream.
Leon Lawson (Trump Republican)
Rosetta Marshall-Williams (Independence)
I love the sunrise in the eastern parts, I love the togetherness of the people making a brand-new start. I love embracing the vision of unity as we restore what has been divided among us. I love working together side by side with the people, to restore justice and equality. Having the vision of setting a precedence in which to strengthen, bring hope, and real answers to our state by repairing the breach. I love the diversity of the people, as we truly represent what our nation should resemble.
May The Lord forever shine favor on this great State of Washington.
Mark Mullet (D)
Dave Reichert (R)
Don Rivers (D)
Bobbie Samons (No party preference)
Andre Stackhouse (G)
Semi Bird (R)
Edward Cale (D)
Jim Clark (No party preference)
Helping homeowner's pair solar with battery backup allows fridges, freezers, and computer equipment to work even when the grid is down for days or weeks. Building industrial scale batteries can help smooth variations in wind and solar. The latest nuclear reactor designs can help fill in the power generation needs when instantaneous power is needed or during nighttime, snowy, or windless days. A mix of power generation capabilities is critical to supplying enough power when needed.
The book, The Grid, was published in 2016 and is as relevant now as back then for helping to highlight what the choices, trends, and impacts are as we prepare our electrical grid for the demands of the future that are here now.
William Combs (Independent)
Michael DePaula (L)
Fred Grant (D)
Jennifer Hoover (R)
Leon Lawson (Trump Republican)
Alan Makayev (Nonsense Busters)
Rosetta Marshall-Williams (Independence)
We have a decent economy, and a lot of people want to move to Washington, with that comes an increase in crime, homelessness, and housing prices to go insanely high so we must work hard to deal with these problems since they won't go away on their own. Environmental issues we face today Environmental issues and human progress are intimately connected. The incredible progress from the Industrial Revolution gave humanity the best health, wealth, and security in world history. It’s also caused irreparable damage to our natural environment. Each environmental issue is connected. These are some of the biggest environmental issues, we face today: Air pollution: There are two types of air pollution. Outdoor air pollution and indoor air pollution. Animal welfare: is an environmental issue for several reasons. PETA: stands for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. It is the largest animal rights Biodiversity loss: is the extinction and reduction of plant and animal species and ecological diversity. Coral bleaching: is an environmental issue today. Energy: The environmental problem with energy today is that 80% of the energy we use in the United States comes from fossil fuels, according to the US Energy Administration As a being a part of United Nations, Education, Science, and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO), we believe that every single person on earth has a right to modern energy and electricity.
Although I have assisted in over one billion dollars in assets for energy in Africa we still need massive investments in clean and renewable energy innovation that will help the US transition to a clean economy and also help raise living standards for people around the world.
Mark Mullet (D)
Dave Reichert (R)
Don Rivers (D)
Bobbie Samons (No party preference)
Andre Stackhouse (G)
Semi Bird (R)
Edward Cale (D)
Jim Clark (No party preference)
Michael DePaula (L)
Fred Grant (D)
Jennifer Hoover (R)
EL'ona Kearney (D)
Alan Makayev (Nonsense Busters)
Olympia, White House - they twist us like springs. They lie to us all, then we get them elected. Conditions then worsen and we get neglected. They first legalized the prohibited drugs. They then liberated some thieves and some thugs. They bicycle lanes installed everywhere. Then homeless crowd comes from nowhere. They’re ready to blame for this a scapegoat. They’ll go for cops, Russia, Trump or your throat. They have no conscience, they like shady dealing. They’ll charge you for homeless.
They are from you stealing.
Rosetta Marshall-Williams (Independence)
Mark Mullet (D)
Don Rivers (D)
Why are political speeches similar to a steer's horns?
A point here, a point there, and a lot of bull in between.
Bobbie Samons (No party preference)
Semi Bird (R)
Edward Cale (D)
Jim Clark (No party preference)
The governor can also "waive" existing laws and regulations when necessary, such as the in-person eyesight exam requirement for driver’s licenses during the COVID lockdown. The Legislature’s role is limited: it can review and extend “waivers,” but the governor alone determines when a state of emergency ends.
Both powers are necessary but need to be used sparingly and with consultation of those who are being affected.
William Combs (Independent)
Michael DePaula (L)
Fred Grant (D)
Jennifer Hoover (R)
Leon Lawson (Trump Republican)
Rosetta Marshall-Williams (Independence)
Martial law: is mandated, when civil rights are severely restricted by the imposition of military force within a Sovereign state, for example during a period of extreme threat of invasion or actual hostilities by foreign forces. State of siege: when the civil rights of specified persons or groups such as political activists are likely to be curtailed, for example to prevent an insurrection or organized acts of treason by suspected agents provocateurs Civil emergency: dealing with disaster areas and requiring the deployment of extraordinary resources to contain dangerous situations such as natural disasters or extensive malicious property damage such as may occur during rioting or by arson. As well as regular emergency services, sometimes military forces may be assigned to deliver aid under especially dangerous conditions or to prevent looting.
There is also the provision mandated for the international law, where rights and freedoms may be suspended during a state of emergency, depending on the severity of the emergency and the government's policies.
Democracies use states of emergency to manage a range of situations from extreme weather events to public order situations. Dictatorial regimes often declare a state of emergency that is prolonged indefinitely for the life of the regime, or for extended periods of time so that derogations can be used to override human rights of their citizens usually protected by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
Mark Mullet (D)
Dave Reichert (R)
Don Rivers (D)
Natural disasters: The governor should have the ability to declare a state of emergency and utilize emergency powers in response to events such as hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, or wildfires. This allows for the quick mobilization of resources, coordination of emergency response efforts, and the implementation of necessary measures to protect lives and property. Public health crises: In the case of a widespread outbreak of a contagious disease or a public health emergency, the governor should be able to exercise emergency powers to enforce quarantine measures, mandate vaccinations, allocate medical resources, and take other necessary steps to safeguard public health. Terrorism or acts of violence: If there is a credible and immediate threat of terrorism, civil unrest, or other acts of violence, the governor should have the authority to activate emergency powers. This enables them to coordinate law enforcement efforts, deploy national guard or military forces if necessary, and enact measures to protect the public and maintain order.
These emergency powers should be temporary and subject to checks and balances, such as oversight by the legislature or review by the judiciary, to prevent abuse and protect civil liberties. Additionally, there should be mechanisms in place to safeguard against corruption or misuse of emergency powers by government officials.
Bobbie Samons (No party preference)
The political party shut down an entire sector of middle-class small business. The SOE that took out a sector of middle class was functional for the political party, whereas a SOE to get the People back on their economic feet after obliterating the economy was not functional, nor beneficial to the political party. During a SOE the executive is obligated to waive, suspend and prohibit laws that interfere with the SOE functionality and goals, if the goal is to rebuild the economy for the People, we would CAP things like gas taxes, gas prices, "inflation", rent, insurance, utilities and other controllable facets of economics. We should have declared a SOE for homelessness and drug overdoses. We should have declared a SOE for the individuals who were adversely affected after participating in the investigational biological agent, especially if it was under duress and fear of losing their jobs. We should have issued a SOE regarding the dumping of sulfuric acid and silver iodide in the atmosphere to prevent further contamination of the air, ground, water, humans and animals.
We should have declared a SOE for the amount of PFAS we have contaminating ground and well water. Some cities like Airway Heights have to BUY WATER from the City of Spokane because it is not in the political party's best interest to ensure the People have adequate, unpoisoned drinking water.
Andre Stackhouse (G)
Semi Bird (R)
SENIOR PASTOR MOTION CHURCH LUCA LATINOS UNITED FOR CONSERVATIVE ACTION CRISTIAN SANCHEZ TOPPENISH CITY COUNCIL POSITION 2 NOLAN WEIS CITY COUNCIL ROSLYN FRANK LAROSE OHIO SECRETARY OF STATE, CANDIDATE FOR U.S. SENATE FORMER U.S. ARMY SPECIAL FORCES GREEN BERET SNOHOMISH COUNTY 39TH LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT JIM HUNTSMAN THE WESTERN HUNTSMAN PODCAST JAMES BOAD SHELTON CITY COUNCIL SEAT ONE EMMA HERRON HOSPITAL BOARD COMMISSIONER SNOQUALMIE VALLEY LISA ALEXANDER KELSO CITY COUNCIL MEMBER POSITION 6 COLUMBIA COUNTY CONSERVATIVES STEVE DUENKEL AUDITOR MASON COUNTY DENNIS & LORI CUMMINS LEAD PASTORS EXPERIENCE CHURCH PUYALLUP, WA THE LAKE ROOSEVELT YACHT CLUB TRICIA DAVIS BATTLE GROUND CITY COUNCIL MEMBER TAKE BACK MASON COUNTY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE DOUG ROULSTONE US NAVY (RET.) CAPTAIN AND COMMANDING OFFICER USS JOHN C. STENNIS AIRCRAFT CARRIER GWENDOLYN FULLERTON COUNCIL MEMBER BONNEY LAKE WILLIAM "BILL" TORSEN WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES COMMODORE, RETIRED STEVEN L. SAUNDERS COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR SPECIAL OPERATIONS DETACHMENT PACIFIC, RETIRED STAN FITZGERALD PRESIDENT OF VETERANS FOR AMERICA FIRST RYAN WHITTEN RICHLAND CITY COUNCIL POSITION 7 ROY SWIHART SENIOR PASTOR COWBOY CHURCH-BOW ROB GILLESPIE COUNCILMEMBER CITY OF OKANOGAN RICHARD "RICK" HUNT COLONEL U.S. MARINE CORPS, RET. PETE SERRANO COUNCILMAN PASCO CITY NICK WINTERS ARMY LIEUTENANT COLONEL, RET. HOMELAND SECURITY PROFESSIONAL NICK RICHARDSON ARMY VETERAN NON-PROFIT FOUNDER, VETERAN ADVOCATE NICK LAVACCA COUNCILMAN AT-LARGE SEDRO-WOOLLEY COLONEL MD MUSTAFIZUR RAHMAN FORMER COMMANDER BANGLADESH ARMY SPECIAL FORCES MJ BOLT SPOKANE COUNTY GOP VICE CHAIR FORMER SPOKANE SCHOOL BOARD DIRECTOR, MEMBER OF THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION MICHELLE BELKOT COUNCILWOMAN ELECT CLARK COUNTY KENNETH SPENCER, JR. TREASURER BENTON COUNTY KAT SNIDER SCHOOL DIRECTOR (DISTRICT 3) KETTLE FALLS JOELLEN KESTI MAYOR CANDIDATE COUNCIL MEMBER AND SEDRO-WOOLLEY JOE KENT FORMER SPECIAL FORCES GREEN BERET JOE KENNEDY FOOTBALL COACH BREMERTON HIGH SCHOOL JHOANNA JONES CITY COUNCIL RICHLAND JEFF MCMILLAN TONASKET CITY COUNCIL POSITION 2 GABE GALBRAIH KENNEWICK SCHOOL BOARD DIRECTOR 2 ERIN SITTERLEY CITY COUNCIL SEATAC ERIKA GEORGE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY STEVENS COUNTY ERIC EISINGER PROSECUTOR BENTON COUNTY ELPIDIA SAAVEDRA MAYOR TOPPENISH DR. JONATHAN HANSEN PRESIDENT WORLD MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL DARIUS J. SLADE BUSINESS MANAGER DSHS CITIZEN POLITICAL ACTION COALITION CPAC AUDRA BYRD RICHLAND SCHOOL BOARD DIRECTOR, VICE PRESIDENT JOHN HILDERBRAND SHERIFF ASOTIN COUNTY PAUL BUDROW SHERIFF OKANOGAN COUNTY BOB SONGER SHERIFF KLICKITAT COUNTY BRAD MANKE SHERIFF STEVENS COUNTY JIM RAYMOND SHERIFF FRANKLIN COUNTY MIKE MORRISON SHERIFF CHELAN COUNTY SUMMER SCHEYER SHERIFF SKAMANIA COUNTY ADAM FORTNEY SHERIFF SNOHOMISH COUNTY COUNTY ENDORSEMENTS SNOHOMISH COUNTY 38TH LD REPUBLICAN PARTY WASHINGTON STATE ASOTIN COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY WASHINGTON STATE CLARK COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY WASHINGTON STATE SPOKANE COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY WASHINGTON STATE COLUMBIA COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY WASHINGTON STATE ISLAND COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY WASHINGTON STATE MASON COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY WASHINGTON STATE SKAGIT COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY WASHINGTON STATE BENTON COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY WASHINGTON STATE LEWIS COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY WASHINGTON STATE COWLITZ COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY WASHINGTON STATE YAKIMA COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY WASHINGTON STATE SKAMANIA COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY
WASHINGTON STATE
Edward Cale (D)
Michael DePaula (L)
Jennifer Hoover (R)
EL'ona Kearney (D)
Leon Lawson (Trump Republican)
Alan Makayev (Nonsense Busters)
Rosetta Marshall-Williams (Independence)
Mark Mullet (D)
Dave Reichert (R)
John Gese, Kitsap County Sheriff Brad Manke, Stevens County Sheriff Kevin W. Morris, Douglas County Sheriff Mike Morrison, Chelan County Sheriff Robert Udell, Yakima County Sheriff Brett Myers, Whitman County Sheriff Bill Elfo, Whatcom County Sheriff (Retired) Mark Howie, Wahkiakum County Sheriff Mark Crider, Walla Walla County Sheriff John Nowels, Spokane County Sheriff Don McDermott, Skagit County Sheriff Ed Troyer, Pierce County Sheriff Glenn Blakeslee, Pend Oreille County Sheriff Paul Budrow, Okanogan County Sheriff Ryan Spurling, Mason County Sheriff Robert Snaza, Lewis County Sheriff Clay Myers, Kittitas County Sheriff Rick Felici, Island County Sheriff Darrin Wallace, Grays Harbor
and many more!
Don Rivers (D)
Bobbie Samons (No party preference)
Andre Stackhouse (G)
Ricky Anthony (D)
Edward Cale (D)
Jim Clark (No party preference)
Jennifer Hoover (R)
And even the Democrats and I are asking this BIG question, "Where is all the marijuana money is going?"
(I think that's what we ALL in Washington State would like to know;)
Alan Makayev (Nonsense Busters)
Rosetta Marshall-Williams (Independence)
Mark Mullet (D)
Dave Reichert (R)
Don Rivers (D)
Bobbie Samons (No party preference)
The Attorney General is suing corporations he can't even prove damages on. Moses Lake just lost $20 million somehow, somewhere, but no one knows where, or whose pockets it went into. The complete lack of administrative oversight on the Covid funding alone should produce some criminal charges. But we're not seeing criminal charges, what we're seeing is, the most nefarious people are much more powerful than the people whistleblowing, so we sit in this weird state of stagnation where corrupt politicians just continue being corrupt, while the People stare them in their faces. The politician's audacity is at an all-time high these days, and that is not acceptable in a government they don't contribute much to except chaos, pathetic displays for attention and unaccounted for millions. When it comes to transparency and accountability, I'm not a politician, so it doesn't benefit me to withhold information.
It benefits me to tell the People whose pockets their money is going into. It benefits me to track the money down and find out where it is. It benefits me to understand how these political parties receive billions of dollars yet have to increase property taxes because the budgets they came up with weren't sufficient... due to "inflation", but the People navigate inflation flawlessly because we're used to budgeting $30 dollars for 6 days of using gas and eating food and going to work, only so we can have maybe, $40 dollars left until the next payday. Politicians don't know anything about financial transparency and accountability, unless they want to know about the Peoples finances and hold the People accountable.
Andre Stackhouse (G)
Brian Bogen (No party preference)
Edward Cale (D)
Jim Clark (No party preference)
Jennifer Hoover (R)
Rosetta Marshall-Williams (Independence)
Today, if Washingtonians are dissatisfied with certain laws or feel new laws are needed, they can petition to place proposed legislation on the ballot. The process is termed INITIATIVE because the electorate can initiate legislation. The electorate can either place a proposition directly on the ballot or it can submit the proposed law to the Legislature at the regular legislative session allowing the elected representatives an opportunity to enact the proposed legislation themselves instead of placing the matter on the ballot. The REFERENDUM allows citizens, through the petition process, to refer acts of the Legislature to the ballot before they become law. The referendum also permits the Legislature itself to refer proposed legislation to the electorate for approval or rejection. The initiative and referendum processes guarantee Washington’s electorate the right to legislate. Sponsors of initiative or referendum measures must obtain a substantial number of petition signatures from registered voters in order to certify their measures to the ballot or to the Legislature. Washington’s history has shown the initiative and referendum processes to be effective in protecting the people’s interests. In fact, many of our most significant laws, such as our public disclosure laws, were enacted by this process.
Allow me to speak from the grave of the Marshall descendants of Chief Justice John Marshall: Why reinvent the Wheel, when this constitution was written in the light and faith of the founding fathers?
Mark Mullet (D)
Dave Reichert (R)
Bobbie Samons (No party preference)
HB2023 is good, as the People of this state don't just speak English. My comment on HB1816 is, what is wrong with public servant and elected official thinking patterns. We're just going to prohibit the forwarding of ballots now. So, if I'm in the midst of relocating, I'm just going to miss out on voting because the county auditor received my forwarding address label and can't send it. What's worse is, when the auditor receives it, we're put on an inactive list, then notified using the forwarding address. How completely asinine. Only people who are distinctly out of touch with the everyday life of the People would come up with something so astronomically ignorant. HB1475 is okay, but using electronic software to submit ballots is subjecting the People to corruptive voting practices. We know the political parties actively practice voter fraud, so perpetuating that potentiality by allowing their friends to create voting software that they control is about as asinine and ignorant as preventing us from forwarding our ballots.
HB1708 is rather innocuous, but we have to keep in mind, these political parties find it in their best interest to give us all a number and track us. While I would like to see my ballots and have an identification number, allowing this to be in legislation means, we're allowing the political parties to strip us of it.
Andre Stackhouse (G)
Second, there should be public financing for initiative campaigns making it affordable for organic grassroots movements to get their proposals on the ballot and voted into law without having to raise millions of dollars to do so.
Third, initiative campaigns should be able to gather signatures digitally. Voter registration is done digitally so there is really no reason a signature couldn't be validated digitally. This would make it much easier for people to sign initiatives and make it much easier for initiative campaigns to successfully collect the signatures and public support needed to reach the ballot. The signature threshold may be reconsidered with the addition of digital gathering, but it should not be prohibitively high either.
Last, protections should be put into the process to ensure that initiative campaigns are of high quality and not open to abuse through astroturf and political spending. Initiatives should reflect organic grassroots efforts and not be trivial for the wealthy to pay for the necessary signature gathering to reach the ballot without building real support.
Campaign ads
Semi Bird
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View more ads here:
Debates and forums
This section includes links to debates, forums, and other similar events where multiple candidates in this race participated. If you are aware of any debates or forums that should be included, please email us.
July 7, 2024, candidate forum
KOMO News released a town hall, interviewing Bird, Ferguson, Mullet, and Reichert separately.[17]
Noteworthy endorsements
This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes a bulleted list of links to official lists of endorsements for any candidates who published that information on their campaign websites. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please click here.
Election competitiveness
Polls
- See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
Polls are conducted with a variety of methodologies and have margins of error or credibility intervals.[18] The Pew Research Center wrote, "A margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points at the 95% confidence level means that if we fielded the same survey 100 times, we would expect the result to be within 3 percentage points of the true population value 95 of those times."[19] For tips on reading polls from FiveThirtyEight, click here. For tips from Pew, click here.
Below we provide results for polls that are included in polling aggregation from FiveThirtyEight and RealClearPolitics, when available. Click here to read about FiveThirtyEight's criteria for including polls in its aggregation. We only report polls for which we can find a margin of error or credibility interval.
| Washington gubernatorial election, 2024: top-two primary election polls | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Date | Ferguson
|
Mullet
|
Bird
|
Reichert
|
Undecided/Other | Margin of error | Sample size[20] | Sponsor[21] |
| SurveyUSA | July 10-13, 2024 | 42% | 4% | 7% | 33% | 14%[22] | ± 5.2 | 564 LV | KING-TV (Seattle), The Seattle Times, University of Washington's Center for an Informed Public |
| Cascade PBS/Elway | May 13-16, 2024 | 22% | 6% | 5% | 20% | 47%[23] | ± 5.0 | 403 RV | N/A |
Race ratings
- See also: Race rating definitions and methods
Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:
- Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
- Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
- Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.[24]
- Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.
Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.[25][26][27]
| Race ratings: Washington gubernatorial election, 2024 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race tracker | Race ratings | ||||||||
| November 5, 2024 | October 29, 2024 | October 22, 2024 | October 15, 2024 | ||||||
| The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter | Likely Democratic | Likely Democratic | Likely Democratic | Likely Democratic | |||||
| Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales | Likely Democratic | Likely Democratic | Likely Democratic | Likely Democratic | |||||
| Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball | Likely Democratic | Likely Democratic | Likely Democratic | Likely Democratic | |||||
| Note: Ballotpedia reviews external race ratings every week throughout the election season and posts weekly updates even if the media outlets have not revised their ratings during that week. | |||||||||
Election spending
Campaign finance
This section contains campaign finance figures from candidates submitted to Washington's Public Disclosure Commission in this election. It does not include information on spending by satellite groups. Click here to access the reports.
Satellite spending
- See also: Satellite spending
Satellite spending describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[28][29]
If available, satellite spending reports by the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and OpenSecrets.org are linked below. FEC links include totals from monthly, quarterly, and semi-annual reports. OpenSecrets.org compiles data from those reports as well as 24- and 48-hour reports from the FEC.[30]
Details about satellite spending of significant amounts and/or reported by media are included below those links. The amounts listed may not represent the total satellite spending in the election. To notify us of additional satellite spending, email us.
| By candidate |
|---|
Spending news
- Coalition for Pragmatic Leadership spent $843,700 on TV ads in support of Mullet on April 15, 2024.[31]
- Concerned Taxpayers Accountability Center spent $1,286.59 on a website and post cards in opposition to Bird in April 2024.[32]
Election analysis
Click the tabs below to view information about demographics, past elections, and partisan control of the state.
- Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the state.
- Statewide elections - Information about recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections in the state.
- State partisanship - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.
- Demographics - Information about the state's demographics and how they compare to the country as a whole.
Cook PVI by congressional district
| Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index for Washington, 2024 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| District | Incumbent | Party | PVI |
| Washington's 1st | Suzan DelBene |  Democratic |
D+13 |
| Washington's 2nd | Rick Larsen | Democratic |
D+9 |
| Washington's 3rd | Marie Gluesenkamp Perez | Democratic |
R+5 |
| Washington's 4th | Dan Newhouse |  Republican |
R+11 |
| Washington's 5th | Cathy McMorris Rodgers | Republican |
R+8 |
| Washington's 6th | Derek Kilmer | Democratic |
D+6 |
| Washington's 7th | Pramila Jayapal | Democratic |
D+36 |
| Washington's 8th | Kim Schrier | Democratic |
D+1 |
| Washington's 9th | Adam Smith | Democratic |
D+21 |
| Washington's 10th | Marilyn Strickland | Democratic |
D+7 |
2020 presidential results by 2024 congressional district lines
| 2020 presidential results in congressional districts based on 2024 district lines, Washington[33] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Joe Biden
|
Donald Trump
| ||
| Washington's 1st | 64.0% | 33.3% | ||
| Washington's 2nd | 60.1% | 37.2% | ||
| Washington's 3rd | 46.6% | 50.8% | ||
| Washington's 4th | 40.3% | 57.2% | ||
| Washington's 5th | 43.5% | 53.5% | ||
| Washington's 6th | 57.1% | 39.9% | ||
| Washington's 7th | 86.8% | 11.3% | ||
| Washington's 8th | 52.0% | 45.3% | ||
| Washington's 9th | 71.5% | 26.3% | ||
| Washington's 10th | 57.3% | 39.6% | ||
2012-2020
How a state's counties vote in a presidential election and the size of those counties can provide additional insights into election outcomes at other levels of government including statewide and congressional races. Below, four categories are used to describe each county's voting pattern over the 2012, 2016, and 2020 presidential elections: Solid, Trending, Battleground, and New. Click [show] on the table below for examples:
| County-level voting pattern categories | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | |||||||
| Status | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 | ||||
| Solid Democratic | D | D | D | ||||
| Trending Democratic | R | D | D | ||||
| Battleground Democratic | D | R | D | ||||
| New Democratic | R | R | D | ||||
| Republican | |||||||
| Status | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 | ||||
| Solid Republican | R | R | R | ||||
| Trending Republican | D | R | R | ||||
| Battleground Republican | R | D | R | ||||
| New Republican | D | D | R | ||||
Following the 2020 presidential election, 72.5% of Washingtonians lived in one of the state's 11 Solid Democratic counties, which voted for the Democratic presidential candidate in every election from 2012 to 2020, and 22.3% lived in one of 22 Solid Republican counties. Overall, Washington was Solid Democratic, having voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2012, Hillary Clinton (D) in 2016, and Joe Biden (D) in 2020. Use the table below to view the total number of each type of county in Washington following the 2020 election as well as the overall percentage of the state population located in each county type.
| Washington county-level statistics, 2020 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solid Democratic | 11 | 72.5% | |||||
| Solid Republican | 22 | 22.3% | |||||
| Trending Republican | 4 | 3.6% | |||||
| Battleground Democratic | 1 | 1.0% | |||||
| Trending Democratic | 1 | 0.6% | |||||
| Total voted Democratic | 13 | 74.1% | |||||
| Total voted Republican | 26 | 25.9% | |||||
Historical voting trends
Washington presidential election results (1900-2020)
- 17 Democratic wins
- 13 Republican wins
- 1 other win
| Year | 1900 | 1904 | 1908 | 1912 | 1916 | 1920 | 1924 | 1928 | 1932 | 1936 | 1940 | 1944 | 1948 | 1952 | 1956 | 1960 | 1964 | 1968 | 1972 | 1976 | 1980 | 1984 | 1988 | 1992 | 1996 | 2000 | 2004 | 2008 | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winning Party | R | R | R | P[34] | D | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | D | D | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
This section details the results of the five most recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections held in the state.
U.S. Senate elections
The table below details the vote in the five most recent U.S. Senate races in Washington.
| U.S. Senate election results in Washington | ||
|---|---|---|
| Race | Winner | Runner up |
| 2022 | 57.1% |
42.6%
|
| 2018 | 58.3% |
41.5%
|
| 2016 | 58.8% |
40.9%
|
| 2012 | 60.4% |
39.5%
|
| 2010 | 52.1% |
47.4%
|
| Average | 57.3 | 42.4 |
Gubernatorial elections
- See also: Governor of Washington
The table below details the vote in the five most recent gubernatorial elections in Washington.
| Gubernatorial election results in Washington | ||
|---|---|---|
| Race | Winner | Runner up |
| 2020 | 56.6% |
43.1%
|
| 2016 | 54.2% |
45.5%
|
| 2012 | 51.4% |
48.3%
|
| 2008 | 53.0% |
46.6%
|
| 2004 | 48.9% |
48.9%
|
| Average | 52.8 | 46.5 |
Congressional delegation
The table below displays the partisan composition of Washington's congressional delegation as of May 2024.
| Congressional Partisan Breakdown from Washington | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | U.S. Senate | U.S. House | Total |
| Democratic | 2 | 8 | 10 |
| Republican | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vacancies | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 2 | 10 | 12 |
State executive
The table below displays the officeholders in Washington's top four state executive offices as of May 2024.
| State executive officials in Washington, May 2024 | |
|---|---|
| Office | Officeholder |
| Governor | Jay Inslee
|
| Lieutenant Governor | Denny Heck
|
| Secretary of State | Steve Hobbs
|
| Attorney General | Bob Ferguson
|
State legislature
Washington State Senate
| Party | As of February 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 29 | |
| Republican Party | 20 | |
| Other | 0 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 49 | |
Washington House of Representatives
| Party | As of February 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 58 | |
| Republican Party | 40 | |
| Other | 0 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 98 | |
Trifecta control
The table below shows the state's trifecta status from 1992 until the 2024 election.
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[35] | 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 |
The table below details demographic data in Washington and compares it to the broader United States as of 2022.
| Demographic Data for Washington | ||
|---|---|---|
| Washington | United States | |
| Population | 7,705,281 | 331,449,281 |
| Land area (sq mi) | 66,455 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White | 69.9% | 65.9% |
| Black/African American | 3.9% | 12.5% |
| Asian | 9.2% | 5.8% |
| Native American | 1.2% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander | 0.7% | 0.2% |
| Other (single race) | 5.2% | 6% |
| Multiple | 9.9% | 8.8% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 13.5% | 18.7% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate | 92.1% | 89.1% |
| College graduation rate | 38% | 34.3% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income | $90,325 | $75,149 |
| Persons below poverty level | 6.3% | 8.8% |
| Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2020). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2017-2022). | ||
| **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. | ||
Election context
Ballot access requirements
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[36]
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.[37][38]
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.[39] 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).[40]
Washington gubernatorial election history
2020
General election
General election for Governor of Washington
Incumbent Jay Inslee defeated Loren Culp in the general election for Governor of Washington on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Jay Inslee (D) | 56.6 | 2,294,243 |
 | Loren Culp (R) | 43.1 | 1,749,066 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.3 | 13,145 | ||
| Total votes: 4,056,454 | |||
| = 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 Governor of Washington
The following candidates ran in the primary for Governor of Washington on August 4, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jay Inslee (D) | 50.1 | 1,247,916 |
| ✔ | | Loren Culp (R) | 17.4 | 433,238 |
 | Joshua Freed (R) | 8.9 | 222,553 | |
 | Tim Eyman (R) | 6.4 | 159,495 | |
 | Raul Garcia (R) | 5.4 | 135,045 | |
 | Phil Fortunato (R) | 4.0 | 99,265 | |
| Don Rivers (D) | 1.0 | 25,601 | |
| Leon Lawson (Trump Republican Party) | 0.9 | 23,073 | |
 | Liz Hallock (G) | 0.9 | 21,537 | |
 | Cairo D'Almeida (D) | 0.6 | 14,657 | |
 | Anton Sakharov (Trump Republican Party) | 0.6 | 13,935 | |
 | Nate Herzog (Pre-2016 Republican Party) | 0.5 | 11,303 | |
| Gene Hart (D) | 0.4 | 10,605 | ||
| Omari Tahir-Garrett (D) | 0.4 | 8,751 | ||
| Ryan Ryals (Unaffiliated) | 0.3 | 6,264 | ||
 | Henry Dennison (Socialist Workers Party) | 0.2 | 5,970 | |
 | GoodSpaceGuy (Trump Republican Party) | 0.2 | 5,646 | |
 | Richard Carpenter (R) | 0.2 | 4,962 | |
| Elaina Gonzalez (Independent) | 0.2 | 4,772 | ||
| Matthew Murray (R) | 0.2 | 4,489 | ||
 | Thor Amundson (Independent) | 0.1 | 3,638 | |
| Bill Hirt (R) | 0.1 | 2,854 | |
| Martin Wheeler (R) | 0.1 | 2,686 | ||
| Ian Gonzales (R) | 0.1 | 2,537 | ||
 | Joshua Wolf (New Liberty Party) | 0.1 | 2,315 | |
 | Cregan Newhouse (Unaffiliated) | 0.1 | 2,291 | |
| Brian Weed (Unaffiliated) | 0.1 | 2,178 | ||
| Alex Tsimerman (Standup-America Party) | 0.1 | 1,721 | |
| Tylor Grow (R) | 0.1 | 1,509 | ||
 | Dylan Nails (Independent) | 0.1 | 1,470 | |
| Craig Campbell (Unaffiliated) | 0.0 | 1,178 | ||
| William Miller (American Patriot Party) | 0.0 | 1,148 | ||
| Cameron Vessey (Unaffiliated) | 0.0 | 718 | ||
| Winston Wilkes (Propertarianist Party) | 0.0 | 702 | ||
 | David Blomstrom (Fifth Republic Party) | 0.0 | 519 | |
| David Voltz (Cascadia Labour Party) | 0.0 | 480 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 1,938 | ||
| Total votes: 2,488,959 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Mathew Mackenzie (R)
- Phillip Bailey (D)
- Asa Palagi (Independent)
- Lisa Thomas (Unaffiliated)
- Matthew Heines (Unaffiliated)
2016
Incumbent Jay Inslee defeated Bill Bryant in the Washington governor election.
| Washington Governor, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Jay Inslee Incumbent |
54.24% | 1,760,520 | |
| Republican | Bill Bryant | 45.49% | 1,476,346 | |
| Write-in votes | 0.26% | 8,416 | ||
| Total Votes | 3,245,282 | |||
| Source: Washington Secretary of State | ||||
2012
| Governor of Washington General Election, 2012 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Jay Inslee |
51.4% | 1,582,802 | |
| Republican | Rob McKenna | 48.3% | 1,488,245 | |
| Other | Write-in votes | 0.3% | 8,592 | |
| Total Votes | 3,079,639 | |||
| Election results via Washington Secretary of State | ||||
Earlier results
To view the electoral history dating back to 2000 for the office of Governor of Washington, click [show] to expand the section. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2008 On November 4, 2008, Christine Gregoire won re-election to the office of Governor of Washington. She defeated Dino Rossi in the general election.
2004 On November 2, 2004, Christine Gregoire won election to the office of Governor of Washington. She defeated Dino Rossi, Ruth Bennett in the general election.
2000 On November 7, 2000, Gary Locke won re-election to the office of Governor of Washington. He defeated John Carlson, Steve W. LePage in the general election.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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.[41]
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...
2024 battleground elections
- See also: Battlegrounds
This was a battleground election. Other 2024 battleground elections included:
- Mayoral election in Las Vegas, Nevada 2024 (June 11 primary election)
- Utah's 2nd Congressional District election, 2024 (June 25 Republican primary)
- Vermont State Senate elections, 2024
See also
| Washington | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 The Seattle Times, "WA gears up for governor race. Here’s where Democratic candidates stand," March 25, 2024
- ↑ Washington State Standard, "Rival Democrats spar over fundraising maneuvers in Washington governor’s race," June 17, 2024
- ↑ The Seattle Times, "State Sen. Mark Mullet announces bid for WA governor," June 1, 2023
- ↑ Politico, "For real this time: Can a Republican win the Washington governor’s race?" December 24, 2023
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 The Seattle Times, "Former U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert announces run for WA governor," July 7, 2023
- ↑ The Seattle Times, "Semi Bird challenging Dave Reichert for GOP nomination for WA governor," November 26, 2023
- ↑ Washington State Standard, "Reichert works to fend off Democrats’ claims he’d try to restrict abortion as governor," June 12, 2024
- ↑ The Seattle Times, "Will Dave Reichert vote for Trump? He gave his answer at a GOP event," June 6, 2024
- ↑ The Seattle Times, "GOP candidates battle for endorsement in WA governor race," April 8, 2024
- ↑ KIRO 7 , "Top 4 gubernatorial candidates speak to KIRO 7," July 31, 2024
- ↑ The Seattle Times , "WA gubernatorial candidates talk education," July 29, 2024
- ↑ The Columbian, "Bob Ferguson has single-digit lead over Dave Reichert in new WA Poll," July 16, 2024
- ↑ KOMO News, "KOMO News Town Hall: The Race for Governor," July 7, 2024
- ↑ Cascade PBS/Elway Poll, "May 2024," accessed June 17, 2024
- ↑ The Cascadia Advocate, "Corporate backers of Mark Mullet launch an independent expenditure to boost his flagging campaign," April 23, 2024
- ↑ Public Disclosure Commission, "Misipati Semi Bird (Semi Bird) - 2024," accessed June 21, 2024
- ↑ KOMO News, "KOMO News Town Hall: The Race for Governor," July 7, 2024
- ↑ For more information on the difference between margins of error and credibility intervals, see explanations from the American Association for Public Opinion Research and Ipsos.
- ↑ Pew Research Center, "5 key things to know about the margin of error in election polls," September 8, 2016
- ↑ RV=Registered Voters
LV=Likely Voters - ↑ The sponsor is the person or group that funded all or part of the poll.
- ↑ Undecided
- ↑ Undecided
- ↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
- ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ Amee LaTour, Email correspondence with the Center for Responsive Politics, August 5, 2022
- ↑ The Cascadia Advocate, "Corporate backers of Mark Mullet launch an independent expenditure to boost his flagging campaign," April 23, 2024
- ↑ Public Disclosure Commission, "Misipati Semi Bird (Semi Bird) - 2024," accessed June 21, 2024
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' presidential results by congressional district for 2020, 2016, and 2012," accessed December 15, 2023
- ↑ Progressive Party
- ↑ Democrats gained full control of the state Senate after a special election on November 7, 2017.
- ↑ 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
- ↑ The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
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