| Election Name: | 2020 Washington Statewide Executive Offices elections |
| Country: | Washington |
| Type: | legislative |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Year: | 2016 |
| Next Year: | 2024 |
| Seats For Election: | All statewide executive offices |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Last Election1: | 7 |
| Seats1: | 8 |
| Seat Change1: | 1 |
| Party2: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Last Election2: | 2 |
| Seats2: | 1 |
| Seat Change2: | 1 |
General elections were held in the U.S. state of Washington on November 3, 2020. A primary was held on August 4.[1] 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.[2]
See main article: 2020 United States presidential election in Washington (state).
Washington has 12 electoral votes for the presidential election, remaining unchanged from 2016.[3] A presidential primary for both parties was held on March 10, 2020, with 13 candidates for the Democrats and one candidate for the Republicans.[4] 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.[5]
See main article: 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Washington. 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.[6]
See main article: 2020 Washington gubernatorial election.
Incumbent governor Jay Inslee (D) was re-elected to a third term in a landslide.[7]
See main article: 2020 Washington lieutenant gubernatorial election.
Incumbent lieutenant governor Cyrus Habib (D) retired from politics.[8] U.S. Representative Denny Heck won the open seat.[9]
| Election Name: | 2020 Washington Attorney General election |
| Country: | Washington |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2016 Washington Attorney General election |
| Previous Year: | 2016 |
| Next Election: | 2024 Washington Attorney General election |
| Next Year: | 2024 |
| Image1: | File:Bob Ferguson at his 2023 Shrimp Feed 02 (cropped).jpg |
| Nominee1: | Bob Ferguson |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 2,226,418 |
| Percentage1: | 56.4% |
| Nominee2: | Matt Larkin |
| Party2: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 1,714,927 |
| Percentage2: | 43.5% |
| Map Size: | 275px |
| Attorney General | |
| Before Election: | Bob Ferguson |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Bob Ferguson |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
Incumbent attorney general Bob Ferguson (D) was re-elected to a third term.[10]
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin | Matt Larkin (R) | Brett Rogers (R) | Mike Vaska (R) | Bob Ferguson (D) | Undecided | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SurveyUSA | July 22–27, 2020 | 513 (LV) | ± 5.4% | 13% | 7% | 5% | 52% | 22% | |||
| SurveyUSA | May 16–19, 2020 | 650 (LV) | ± 5.6% | 8% | 8% | 4% | 47% | 32% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin | Bob Ferguson (D) | Matt Larkin (R) | Undecided | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Policy Polling (D) | October 14–15, 2020 | 610 (LV) | ± 4% | 53% | 39% | 8% | ||
| SurveyUSA | October 8–10, 2020 | 591 (LV) | ± 5.2% | 49% | 38% | 13% |
See main article: 2020 Washington Secretary of State election.
Incumbent secretary of state Kim Wyman (R) was re-elected to a third term.[11] State Representative Gael Tarleton (D–Seattle) unsuccessfully challenged Wyman.[12]
| Election Name: | 2020 Washington Public Lands Commissioner election |
| Country: | Washington |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2016 Washington elections#Public Lands Commissioner |
| Previous Year: | 2016 |
| Next Election: | 2024 Washington Public Lands Commissioner election |
| Next Year: | 2024 |
| Election Date: | November 3, 2020 |
| Image1: | Hilary Franz 01.jpg |
| Candidate1: | Hilary Franz |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 2,212,158 |
| Percentage1: | 56.7% |
| Candidate2: | Sue Kuehl Pederson |
| Party2: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 1,686,320 |
| Percentage2: | 43.2% |
| Public Lands Commissioner | |
| Before Election: | Hilary Franz |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Hilary Franz |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
Incumbent Public Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz (D) was re-elected to a second term. She defeated Republican nominee Sue Kuehl Pederson in the general election by 13.5%.
| Election Name: | 2020 Washington State Auditor election |
| Country: | Washington |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2016 Washington elections#State auditor |
| Previous Year: | 2016 |
| Next Election: | 2024 Washington State Auditor election |
| Next Year: | 2024 |
| Election Date: | November 3, 2020 |
| Image1: | Pat McCarthy (19280364431).jpg |
| Nominee1: | Pat McCarthy |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (US) |
| Popular Vote1: | 2,260,830 |
| Percentage1: | 58.0% |
| Nominee2: | Chris Leyba |
| Party2: | Republican Party (US) |
| Popular Vote2: | 1,633,956 |
| Percentage2: | 41.9% |
| State Auditor | |
| Before Election: | Pat McCarthy |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Pat McCarthy |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
Incumbent state auditor Pat McCarthy (D) was re-elected to a second term.
| Election Name: | 2020 Washington State Treasurer election |
| Country: | Washington |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2016 Washington elections#State treasurer |
| Previous Year: | 2016 |
| Next Election: | 2024 Washington State Treasurer election |
| Next Year: | 2024 |
| Election Date: | November 3, 2020 |
| Image1: | Washington State Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti portrait.jpg |
| Nominee1: | Mike Pellicciotti |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (US) |
| Popular Vote1: | 2,089,159 |
| Percentage1: | 53.4% |
| Nominee2: | Duane Davidson |
| Party2: | Republican Party (US) |
| Popular Vote2: | 1,818,895 |
| Percentage2: | 46.5% |
| State Treasurer | |
| Before Election: | Duane Davidson |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Mike Pellicciotti |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
Incumbent state treasurer Duane Davidson (R) ran for a second term. State Representative Mike Pellicciotti (D–Federal Way) defeated Davidson.[13]
| Election Name: | 2020 Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction election |
| Country: | Washington (state) |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2016 Washington (state) Superintendent of Public Instruction election |
| Previous Year: | 2016 |
| Next Election: | 2024 Washington (state) Superintendent of Public Instruction election |
| Next Year: | 2024 |
| Image1: | Chris Reykdal at Comcast Leaders & Achievers Scholarship Reception 2017.jpg |
| Nominee1: | Chris Reykdal |
| Party1: | Independent politician |
| Popular Vote1: | 1,955,365 |
| Percentage1: | 54.6% |
| Nominee2: | Maia Espinoza |
| Party2: | Independent politician |
| Popular Vote2: | 1,609,643 |
| Percentage2: | 44.9% |
| Map Size: | 250px |
| Superintendent of Public Instruction | |
| Before Election: | Chris Reykdal |
| Before Party: | Independent politician |
| After Election: | Chris Reykdal |
| After Party: | Independent politician |
Incumbent state superintendent Chris Reykdal (non-partisan election) was re-elected to a second term.
| Date | Host | Moderator | Link | Nonpartisan | Nonpartisan | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key: Participant Absent Not invited Invited Withdrawn | |||||||
| Chris Reykdal | Maia Espinoza | ||||||
| 1 | Sep. 18, 2020 | Washington State Wire | YouTube | ||||
| 2 | Sep. 25, 2020 | City Inside/Out | Brian Callahan | YouTube | |||
| Election Name: | 2020 Washington Insurance Commissioner election |
| Country: | Washington |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2016 Washington elections#Insurance Commissioner |
| Previous Year: | 2016 |
| Next Election: | 2024 Washington Insurance Commissioner election |
| Next Year: | 2024 |
| Election Date: | November 3, 2020 |
| Image1: | Oic-commissioner-kreidler.jpg |
| Candidate1: | Mike Kreidler |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 2,506,693 |
| Percentage1: | 65.4% |
| Candidate2: | Chirayu Avinash Patel |
| Party2: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 1,308,292 |
| Percentage2: | 34.1% |
| insurance commissioner | |
| Before Election: | Mike Kreidler |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Mike Kreidler |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
Incumbent insurance commissioner Mike Kreidler (D) was re-elected to a sixth term. With over 65% of the vote, Kreidler had the best performance of any statewide Democratic candidate or any statewide incumbent.
Seats 3, 4, and 7 of the Washington Supreme Court were up for six-year terms. Debra L. Stephens, 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[14] ran for the final two years of the term.[15]
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin | Raquel Montoya-Lewis | David Larson | Undecided | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Policy Polling (D) | October 14–15, 2020 | 610 (LV) | ± 4% | 21% | 17% | 62% | |||
| Public Policy Polling (D) | May 19–20, 2020 | 1,070 (LV) | ± 3% | 14% | 8% | 78% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin | G. Helen Whitener | Richard S. Serns | Undecided | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Policy Polling (D) | October 14–15, 2020 | 610 (LV) | ± 4% | 22% | 12% | 66% | |||
| Public Policy Polling (D) | May 19–20, 2020 | 1,070 (LV) | ± 3% | 13% | 6% | 81% |
See main article: 2020 Washington State Senate election.
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),[16] Maureen Walsh (R-Walla Walla),[17] and Hans Zeiger (R-Puyallup).[18] Senators Dean Takko (D) and Steve O'Ban (R) lost reelection.
See main article: 2020 Washington House of Representatives election.
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 (D-Poulsbo),[19] Richard DeBolt (R-Chehalis),[20] Beth Doglio (D-Olympia),[21] Chris Gildon (R-Puyallup), Bill Jenkin (R-Prosser),[22] Christine Kilduff (D-University Place),[23] Mike Pellicciotti (D-Federal Way), Eric Pettigrew (D-Seattle),[24] Norma Smith (R-Clinton),[25] and Gael Tarleton (D-Seattle). Representatives Luanne Van Werven (R) and Brian Blake (D) lost reelection.
No initiatives to the people qualified for the ballot. One referendum was on the ballot, on Senate Bill 5395 regarding sexual education.[26] 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.[27] It passed with 58% in favor.
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin | Approve | Reject | Undecided | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PPP/NPI | October 14–15, 2020 | 610 (LV) | ± 4% | 56% | 33% | 11% | |
| SurveyUSA/KING-TV | October 8–10, 2020 | 591 (LV) | ± 5.2% | 52% | 34% | 14% |
| Referendum 90[28] | |
| Date: | November 3, 2020 |
| Washington Comprehensive Sexual Health Education | |
| Yes: | 2,283,630 |
| No: | 1,665,906 |
| Total: | 3,949,536 |
| Map: | 2020 Washington Referendum 90 results map by county.svg |
| Mapcaption: | Yes No |