The 2018 General Election was held on Nov. 6. Washington is one of the few states that votes entirely by mail, so ballots are still being tabulated. The final election results will be certified by the Secretary of State on Nov. 30.
There are almost 4.4 million registered voters in Washington State. At this time, more than two million ballots have been tallied, with an estimated 723,500 ballots left to be counted. This is a midterm election and voter turnout is high.
In Washington State, there are 98 House of Representative seats and 49 Senate seats. Since Nov. 2016, Democrats have controlled both the House (50-48) and Senate (25-24) by slim majorities. This election cycle, all 98 House seats were up for election and 25 of the Senate seats.
Washington State’s early results indicate that the Democrats will gain seats in both state chambers, which means they will maintain control of the legislature. In the House, Democrats are likely to gain six or seven seats, with 9 races currently too close to call. In the Senate, Democrats are likely to gain two or three seats, with three races too close to call. For the races too close to call, it may take days or weeks before the final outcomes are clear.
To track the legislative races in our state, click here.
There were also four statewide measures on the ballot:
- Initiative 1631, which concerns pollution and proposes to enact a carbon emissions fee, is failing with 56 percent of the vote.
- Initiative 1634, which would prohibit local governments from enacting taxes on certain grocery items, is passing with almost 55 percent of the vote.
- Initiative 1639, which concerns firearms and would change gun ownership and purchase requirements, is passing with 60 percent of the vote.
- Initiative 940, which concerns law enforcement and proposes additional police training and criminal liability in cases of deadly force, is passing with 59 percent of the vote.
To track Washington State’s 2018 General Election results, click here.