General elections were held in the
U.S. state of
Washington on November 3, 2020. A primary was held on August 4. This election cycle is notable as it was only the second in state history in which Democrats won the top three statewide elections by double digits. The first was the 1936 election, in the middle of the
Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
. , this was the last time Republicans won any statewide election in Washington.
Federal
President of the United States
Washington has 12 electoral votes for the
presidential election, remaining unchanged from
2016
File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...
. A presidential primary for both parties was held on March 10, 2020, with 13 candidates for the Democrats and one candidate for the Republicans. The
2020 Democratic primary was the first in the state's history to have a binding vote, replacing the caucus system that overrode the nonbinding primary vote.
United States House of Representatives
All 10 of Washington's seats in the
United States House of Representatives were up for re-election. All but one of the incumbents ran for re-election, the exception being
Denny Heck (D) of the
10th district.
Statewide executive
Governor
Incumbent
Governor Jay Inslee (D) was re-elected to a third term in a landslide.
Lieutenant Governor
Incumbent
Lieutenant Governor
A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...
Cyrus Habib (D) retired from politics. U.S. Representative
Denny Heck won the open seat.
Attorney General
Incumbent
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general or attorney-general (sometimes abbreviated AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. The plural is attorneys general.
In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have exec ...
Bob Ferguson (D) was re-elected to a third term.
Polling
=Blanket primary
=
=General election
=
Secretary of State
Incumbent
Secretary of State Kim Wyman (R) was re-elected to a third term.
State Representative
Gael Tarleton (D–Seattle) unsuccessfully challenged Wyman.
Public Lands Commissioner
Incumbent
Public Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz (D) was re-elected to a second term.
Polling
=General election
=
State Auditor
Incumbent
State Auditor
State auditors (also known as state comptrollers, state controllers, state examiners, or inspectors general) are fiscal officers lodged in the executive or legislative branches of U.S. state governments who serve as external auditors, financial ...
Pat McCarthy (D) was re-elected to a second term.
Polling
=General election
=
State Treasurer
Incumbent
state treasurer
In the state governments of the United States, 48 of the 50 states have the executive position of treasurer. New York abolished the position in 1926; duties were transferred to New York State Comptroller. Texas abolished the position of Texas ...
Duane Davidson (R) ran for a second term. State Representative
Mike Pellicciotti (D–Federal Way) defeated Davidson.
Polling
=General election
=
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Incumbent
state superintendent Chris Reykdal (non-partisan election) was re-elected to a second term.
Polling
=General election
=
Insurance Commissioner
Incumbent
insurance commissioner Mike Kreidler (D) was re-elected to a sixth term.
Polling
=General election
=
Supreme Court
Seats 3, 4, and 7 of the
Washington Supreme Court were up for six-year terms.
Debra L. Stephens
Debra Leigh Stephens (née Williams; born 1965) is an American lawyer who has served as an associate justice of the Washington Supreme Court. She was appointed to the court in December 2007 by Governor Christine Gregoire and took office on January ...
,
Charles W. Johnson, and
Raquel Montoya-Lewis ran for new terms. Seat 6 Justice
Charles Wiggins retired and Governor Inslee's appointee G. Helen Whitener ran for the final two years of the term.
Polling
Position 3
Position 6
Legislative
State Senate
Twenty-five of the forty-nine seats in the
Washington State Senate were up for election. Democrats kept a 28–21 majority in the Senate. Senators retiring this election were Senators
Randi Becker (R-Olympia),
Maureen Walsh
Maureen S. Walsh (born November 18, 1960) is an American politician who served as a member of the Washington State Senate, representing the 16th district from 2017 to 2021. A member of the Republican Party, she previously served as a member of t ...
(R-Walla Walla), and
Hans Zeiger (R-Puyallup).
Senators
Dean Takko
Dean Allen Takko (born July 9, 1950) is an American politician who served as a member of the Washington State Senate, representing the 19th district from 2015 to 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as a member of the Was ...
(D) and
Steve O'Ban
Steven Thomas O'Ban (born July 12, 1961) is an American politician and attorney who served as a member of the Washington State Senate, representing the 28th district from 2013 to 2021. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as ...
(R) lost reelection.
State House of Representatives
All 98 seats in the
Washington House of Representatives were up for election. Democrats kept a 57–41 majority in the House. House members who didn't run for re-election were Representatives
Sherry Appleton
Sherry Phyllis Appleton (née Tarpey, October 28, 1942 — October 25, 2023) was an American politician who was a member of the Democratic Party. She was a member of the Washington House of Representatives, representing the 23rd district from 20 ...
(D-Poulsbo),
Richard DeBolt (R-Chehalis),
Beth Doglio (D-Olympia),
Chris Gildon (R-Puyallup),
Bill Jenkin
William Richard Jenkin (born 1956) is an American politician and businessman from Washington. Jenkin is a former Republican member of Washington House of Representatives for District 16, Position 1, which includes portions of Benton, Columbia ...
(R-Prosser),
Christine Kilduff
Christine J. Kilduff (born 1966) is an American lawyer and politician. A Democrat, she served in the Washington House of Representatives January 12, 2015 to January 11, 2021. She was elected in 2014, narrowly defeating Paul Wagemann of the Republi ...
(D-University Place),
Mike Pellicciotti (D-Federal Way),
Eric Pettigrew
Eric Pettigrew (born 1960) was a Democratic member of the Washington House of Representatives, representing the 37th district from 2003 to 2021. Pettigrew is African-American. He succeeded Kip Tokuda
Kip Yoshino Tokuda (October 8, 1946 – ...
(D-Seattle),
Norma Smith (R-Clinton), and
Gael Tarleton (D-Seattle).
Representatives
Luanne Van Werven
Luanne Miller Van Werven (born 1957) is an American politician from Washington. Van Werven is a former Republican member of Washington House of Representatives for District 42. Van Werven served from January 12, 2015 to January 11, 2021. She wa ...
(R) and
Brian Blake
Brian Ernest Blake (born August 26, 1960) is an American logger, forester, and politician who served as a member of the Washington House of Representatives, representing the 19th district from 2002 to 2021. He is a member of the Democratic Part ...
(D) lost reelection.
Ballot measures
No
initiatives to the people qualified for the ballot. One referendum was on the ballot, on Senate Bill 5395 regarding sexual education. One constitutional amendment was on the ballot, regarding the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Account and the Long-Term Care Services and Supports Trust Account.
It passed with 58% in favor.
Ballot Initiatives
Polling
;Referendum 90
Notes
See also
*
Elections in Washington (state)
In Washington, elections are authorized by Articles II, III, and IV of the Washington State Constitution, which respectively include the establishment of elections for the legislative, executive, and judiciary branches of the state government; Ar ...
References
External links
Elections & Votingat the Washington Secretary of State
Washingtonat
Ballotpedia
Ballotpedia is a nonprofit and nonpartisan online political encyclopedia that covers federal, state, and local politics, elections, and public policy in the United States. The website was founded in 2007. Ballotpedia is sponsored by the Lucy Bur ...
*
*
* (State affiliate of the U.S.
League of Women Voters
The League of Women Voters (LWV or the League) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan political organization in the United States. Founded in 1920, its ongoing major activities include registering voters, providing voter information, and advocating for vot ...
)
*
{{2020 United States elections
Washington