Washington gubernatorial election, 2024

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← 2020
Governor of Washington
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 (D)
How to vote
Poll times: Poll opening hours vary; close at 8 p.m. Voting in Washington
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Likely Democratic Sabato's Crystal Ball: Likely Democratic Inside Elections: Likely Democratic
Ballotpedia analysis
Federal and state primary competitiveness State executive elections in 2024 Impact of term limits in 2024 State government trifectas State government triplexes Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2024
Washington executive elections
Governor Lieutenant Governor Attorney General Secretary of State Auditor Treasurer Superintendent of Public Instruction Public Lands Commissioner Insurance Commissioner

Bob Ferguson (D) defeated Dave Reichert (R) in the general election for governor of Washington on November 5, 2024. They advanced from the top-two primary on August 6, 2024, with Ferguson receiving 44.9% of the vote and Reichert 27.5%. Twenty-eight candidates ran in the primary.

Incumbent Jay Inslee (D) did not run for re-election.

There were three central themes this election: abortion, public safety, and the cost of living. Ferguson, who had been the state's attorney general since 2013, said that the key difference between himself and former congressman Reichert was abortion. He cited Reichert's record of voting for legislation that would have limited abortion to the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. Reichert responded in a campaign video, saying, "As governor, I will not change Washington law on this issue [abortion] ... My opponent, Bob Ferguson, is trying to spread fear by saying things that I don't believe and will not do."

Reichert criticized Ferguson's record as attorney general and tied him to Democratic policies that he said eroded public safety and raised the cost of living. Both candidates emphasized public safety and an affordable cost of living in their campaigns.

Ferguson described himself as a reformer and said, "Washingtonians must have the freedom to make their own health care decisions, to be safe, to breathe clean air and drink clean water, to be free from discrimination, to start a small business, to make a living wage and have a safe work environment, to have opportunities to succeed in all kinds of careers."

Reichert was a lobbyist for Thermo Fisher Scientific. He represented Washington's 8th Congressional District from 2005 to 2019. Politico ranked Reichert as one of the most bipartisan members during his time in the U.S. House. Reichert identified a "triumvirate of issues: A 'broken' criminal justice system, the economy and homelessness" and said, "I’m running for Governor to protect the vulnerable, to help small businesses and to keep people safe."

A Republican last won election as Washington's governor in 1980. The last time the office was open was in 2012 when Inslee was first elected and defeated Rob McKenna (R) 51.4%-48.3%. As of October 30, 2024, The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter, Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales, and Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball rated the election Likely Democratic.

This was one of 11 gubernatorial elections that took place in 2024. The governor serves as a state's top executive official and is the only executive office elected in all 50 states. At the time of the 2024 elections, there were 27 Republican governors and 23 Democratic governors. Click here for an overview of all 11 gubernatorial elections that took place in 2024.

Heading into the 2024 elections, there were 23 Republican trifectas, 17 Democratic trifectas, and 10 divided governments where neither party held trifecta control. There were 25 Republican triplexes, 20 Democratic triplexes, and five divided governments where neither party held triplex control.

A state government trifecta refers to a situation where one party controls a state's governorship and majorities in both chambers of the state legislature. A state government triplex refers to a situation where the governor, attorney general, and secretary of state are all members of the same political party.

Dave Reichert (R) completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. To read those survey responses, click here.

For more information about the primaries in this election, click on the links below:

• Washington gubernatorial election, 2024 (August 6 top-two primary)

Candidates and election results

General election

General election for Governor of Washington

Bob Ferguson defeated Dave Reichert in the general election for Governor of Washington on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bob Ferguson (D)	55.5	2,143,368
		Dave Reichert (R)	44.3	1,709,818
		Other/Write-in votes	0.2	8,202

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 3,861,388
= 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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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Governor of Washington

The following candidates ran in the primary for Governor of Washington on August 6, 2024.

		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
	Submit photo	Jim Daniel (R)	1.5	29,907
	Submit photo	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
	Submit photo	Martin Wheeler (R)	0.4	7,676
		Chaytan Inman (D)	0.3	6,427
		Ricky Anthony (D)	0.3	6,226
	Submit photo	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
	Submit photo	Edward Cale (D)	0.1	1,975
		Alex Tsimerman (Standup-America Party)	0.1	1,721
		Bill Hirt (R)	0.1	1,720
	Submit photo	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
	Submit photo	Brad Mjelde (No party preference)	0.1	991
		Ambra Mason (Constitution Party) (Write-in)	0.0	0
	Submit photo	Bobbie Samons (No party preference) (Write-in)	0.0	0
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	1,347

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	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.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

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

Election information in Washington: Nov. 5, 2024, election.

What was the voter registration deadline?

• In-person: Nov. 5, 2024
• By mail: Received by Oct. 28, 2024
• Online: Oct. 28, 2024

Was absentee/mail-in voting available to all voters?

Yes

What was the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline?

• In-person: N/A
• By mail: N/A by N/A
• Online: N/A

What was the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?

• In-person: Nov. 5, 2024
• By mail: Postmarked by Nov. 5, 2024

Was early voting available to all voters?

Yes

What were the early voting start and end dates?

Oct. 18, 2024 to Nov. 5, 2024

Were all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, was a photo or non-photo ID required?

N/A

When were polls open on Election Day?

Varies - 8:00 p.m. (PST)

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.

Bob Ferguson

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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Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

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Ferguson highlighted his success as attorney general. He said he defeated the Trump administration 50 times in court "on cases ranging from voting rights and gun responsibility to reproductive freedom." 

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Speaking on the Supreme Court's decision to preserve access to mifepristone, Ferguson said, "This attack on reproductive freedom failed, but there are more coming. Anti-choice Republican Dave Reichert voted for a nationwide abortion ban that would have instituted criminal penalties against doctors. I will always fight for access to safe, effective abortions."

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Ferguson said he would do the following to improve public safety: increase the number of law enforcement officials; implement a fentanyl crisis response plan; combat gun violence and mass shootings; arrest individuals with active warrants when they violate the terms of their community custody; equip law enforcement with improved technology and data; and invest in youth intervention strategies.

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Show sources

Sources: Bob Ferguson Democrat for Governor, "About," accessed June 17, 2024, X, "Bob Ferguson," June 13, 2024, Bob Ferguson Democrat for Governor, "Public Safety," accessed June 17, 2024; University of Washington, "Bob Ferguson," accessed June 17, 2024

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of Washington in 2024.

Dave Reichert

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."

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Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

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We cannot continue with the status quo as communities across Washington are suffering a devasting public safety crisis. 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.

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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.

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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. We must address housing affordability, rising food prices, provide transparency within our government and relief for our small businesses.

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.

Expand all | Collapse all

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Dave Reichert (R)

We cannot continue with the status quo as communities across Washington are suffering a devasting public safety crisis.

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.

We must address housing affordability, rising food prices, provide transparency within our government and relief for our small businesses.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Dave Reichert (R)

From the United States Air Force to the King County Sheriff’s Office, I witnessed examples of selfless sacrifice, individuals who put others before themselves. That experience taught me what it means to have a servant’s heart, honored by an opportunity to help, and driven to show the courage and humility it takes to get things done. As Sheriff, I arrested violent criminals and locked up human traffickers who preyed on women and children. On my watch crime was down as we enforced the law and everyone was accountable. This experience served me well when the people of Washington sent me to Congress where I worked with Republicans and Democrats to pass bold policies on everything from tax relief to trade to protecting our environment.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Dave Reichert (R)

President Lincoln is one of my favorite presidents, along with Teddy Roosevelt. One of my favorite books is Team of Rivals. As the president of a nation divided, Lincoln had the courage and wisdom to bring people together with differing opinions. Our state is a state divided, and I am inspired by President Lincoln and his ability to bring our nation together. As Governor, I will bring the people of Washington together to solve the critical issues confronting us.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Dave Reichert (R)

Leadership. Integrity. Service. Teamwork.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Dave Reichert (R)

I am an independent thinker who looks at facts when making decisions.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Dave Reichert (R)

Servant leadership.

A governor is the top executive authority in his or her state. What does that mean do you?

Dave Reichert (R)

Lead with integrity. Be honest with the people. Provide transparency in government. Execute and enforce the laws.

Governors have many responsibilities, which vary from state to state. Which of those do you personally consider the most important in your state?

Dave Reichert (R)

Every responsibility is important.

In most states, governors have the power to make line-item vetoes. If that is true in your state, what would be your philosophy for how and when to use this power?

Dave Reichert (R)

Use it when it is necessary to bring people back to the table on legislation that is harmful to Washington families.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

Dave Reichert (R)

A true balance of power and the ability to work together.

What do you love most about your state?

Dave Reichert (R)

The beauty and people.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Dave Reichert (R)

We must rebuild trust in our government by prioritizing open and transparent servant leadership. People are tired of witnessing government funds being squandered while seemingly every effort is made by Olympia to make the cost of living unmanageable for the majority of Washingtonians.

Under what circumstances should the governor of your state be able to use emergency powers?

Dave Reichert (R)

The governor has the authority to use emergency powers under specific circumstances. I believe the governor should use these powers judiciously, proportional and for the shortest amount of time necessary.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Dave Reichert (R)

Michael Hawley, Island County Sheriff

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!

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

Dave Reichert (R)

We deserve to know where government is working and where it’s not. To do that, we will audit all state government programs, and share information directly with the public. We must effectively fund priorities, eliminate waste, and help reduce the financial burdens on everyone.

Do you support or oppose changes to the current state ballot initiative process? If so, what kind of changes would you consider?

Dave Reichert (R)

Oppose changes.

Campaign ads

Bob Ferguson

September 3, 2024

July 19, 2024

July 11, 2024

View more ads here:

• YouTube
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Dave Reichert

September 10, 2024

July 1, 2024

June 7, 2024

View more ads here:

• YouTube
• Facebook

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. 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." For tips on reading polls from FiveThirtyEight, click here. For tips from Pew, click here.

The links below show polls for this race aggregated by FiveThirtyEight and RealClearPolitics, where available. Click here to read about FiveThirtyEight's criteria for including polls in its aggregation.

• FiveThirtyEight
• RealClearPolitics

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.
• 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.

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.

Endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

Click the links below to see official endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites for any candidates that make that information available. If you are aware of a website that should be included, please email us.

• Bob Ferguson
• Dave Reichert

Election spending

Campaign finance

See also: Campaign finance

The section and tables below contain data from financial reports submitted to state agencies. The data is gathered and made available by Transparency USA.

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.

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.

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
Bob Ferguson Dave Reichert

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.

• Presidential elections
• Statewide elections
• State partisanship
• Demographics

See also: Presidential voting trends in Washington and The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index

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
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	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

See also: List of United States Senators from Washington

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

See also: Party control of Washington state government

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	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

The table below details filing requirements for gubernatorial candidates in Washington in the 2024 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Washington, click here.

Filing requirements for gubernatorial candidates, 2024
State	Office	Signatures required	Filing fee	Filing deadline	Source	Qualifications
Washington	Governor	N/A	$1,982.57	5/10/2024	Source	Must be at least 30 years of age, a registered voter and domiciled in Washington for at least 7 years.

Washington gubernatorial election history

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

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	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
	Submit photo	Gene Hart (D)	0.4	10,605
	Submit photo	Omari Tahir-Garrett (D)	0.4	8,751
	Submit photo	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
	Submit photo	Elaina Gonzalez (Independent)	0.2	4,772
	Submit photo	Matthew Murray (R)	0.2	4,489
		Thor Amundson (Independent)	0.1	3,638
		Bill Hirt (R)	0.1	2,854
	Submit photo	Martin Wheeler (R)	0.1	2,686
	Submit photo	Ian Gonzales (R)	0.1	2,537
		Joshua Wolf (New Liberty Party)	0.1	2,315
		Cregan Newhouse (Unaffiliated)	0.1	2,291
	Submit photo	Brian Weed (Unaffiliated)	0.1	2,178
		Alex Tsimerman (Standup-America Party)	0.1	1,721
	Submit photo	Tylor Grow (R)	0.1	1,509
		Dylan Nails (Independent)	0.1	1,470
	Submit photo	Craig Campbell (Unaffiliated)	0.0	1,178
	Submit photo	William Miller (American Patriot Party)	0.0	1,148
	Submit photo	Cameron Vessey (Unaffiliated)	0.0	718
	Submit photo	Winston Wilkes (Propertarianist Party)	0.0	702
		David Blomstrom (Fifth Republic Party)	0.0	519
	Submit photo	David Voltz (Cascadia Labour Party)	0.0	480
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	1,938

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	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. Governor of Washington, 2008 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic Christine Gregoire Incumbent 53.2% 1,598,738      Republican Dino Rossi 46.8% 1,404,124 Total Votes 3,002,862 Election results via Washington Secretary of State. 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. Governor of Washington, 2004 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic Christine Gregoire 48.9% 1,373,361      Republican Dino Rossi 48.9% 1,373,228      Libertarian Ruth Bennett 2.3% 63,464 Total Votes 2,810,053 Election results via Washington Secretary of State. 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. Governor of Washington, 2000 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic Gary Locke Incumbent 58.4% 1,441,973      Republican John Carlson 39.7% 980,060      Libertarian Steve W. LePage 1.9% 47,819 Total Votes 2,469,852 Election results via Washington Secretary of State.

2024 battleground elections

See also: Battlegrounds

This was a battleground election. Other 2024 battleground elections included:

• California's 30th Congressional District election, 2024 (March 5 top-two primary)
• Oregon's 6th Congressional District election, 2024
• Texas' 32nd Congressional District election, 2024 (March 5 Democratic primary)

External links

• Search Google News for this topic
• Office of the Governor of Washington

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