| Election Name: | 2016 Washington Statewide Executive Office elections |
| Country: | Washington |
| Type: | legislative |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Year: | 2012 |
| Next Year: | 2020 |
| Seats For Election: | All 9 statewide executive offices |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Last Election1: | 8 |
| Seats1: | 7 |
| Seat Change1: | 1 |
| Party2: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Last Election2: | 1 |
| Seats2: | 2 |
| Seat Change2: | 1 |
A general election was held in the U.S. state of Washington on November 8, 2016. The primary was held on August 2.[1]
At the time of the filing deadline of May 20, 2016, 682 candidates had filed for 345 offices statewide.[1] [2]
See main article: 2016 United States presidential election in Washington (state).
See also: 2016 United States presidential election.
Washington had 12 electoral votes for the presidential election, which were awarded to Hillary Clinton.[3]
Statewide party caucuses and primaries were held in the spring of 2016 to determine the allocation of state delegates to the respective Democratic and Republican party national conventions. Bernie Sanders won the Democratic caucus in March, defeating Hillary Clinton and taking 73 percent of delegates;[4] Donald Trump won the Republican primary, taking 76 percent of delegates. A non-binding primary for the Democratic party held in May resulted in a victory for Hillary Clinton.[5] [6]
See main article: 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Washington.
See also: 2016 United States House of Representatives elections. 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 Jim McDermott (D) of the 7th district.[7] McDermott's seat was won by Pramila Jayapal (D).[8] The remaining seats were retained by the incumbents.
See main article: 2016 United States Senate election in Washington.
See also: 2016 United States Senate elections.
Incumbent Democratic senior Senator Patty Murray ran for re-election to a fifth term in office,[9] defeating Republican challenger Chris Vance by 18 points.[10]
See main article: 2016 Washington gubernatorial election.
Incumbent Governor Jay Inslee was re-elected to his second term over Port of Seattle Commissioner Bill Bryant.[11] [12]
| Election Name: | 2016 Washington lieutenant gubernatorial election |
| Country: | Washington |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | No |
| Previous Election: | 2012 Washington lieutenant gubernatorial election |
| Previous Year: | 2012 |
| Next Election: | 2020 Washington lieutenant gubernatorial election |
| Next Year: | 2020 |
| Election Date: | November 8, 2016 |
| Image1: | Cyrus Habib official.jpg |
| Nominee1: | Cyrus Habib |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (US) |
| Popular Vote1: | 1,698,297 |
| Percentage1: | 54.3 |
| Nominee2: | Marty McClendon |
| Party2: | Republican Party (US) |
| Popular Vote2: | 1,424,277 |
| Percentage2: | 45.5 |
| Lieutenant Governor of Washington | |
| Before Election: | Brad Owen |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Cyrus Habib |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
Incumbent lieutenant governor Brad Owen, first elected to the office in 1996, announced that he would not seek a sixth term.[13] [14]
Four Democrats (three of whom were state senators), four Republicans, two third-party candidates, and one independent competed in the primary election. Marty McClendon (R) and Cyrus Habib (D) finished as top two and advanced to the general election, which Habib won by 9 points.[15]
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin | Cyrus Habib (D) | Marty McClendon (R) | Undecided | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elway Poll | October 20–22, 2016 | 502 (RV) | ± 4.5% | 38% | 37% | 25% | ||
| Elway Poll | August 9–13, 2016 | 500 (RV) | ± 4.5% | 38% | 33% | 29% |
| Election Name: | 2016 Washington Attorney General election |
| Country: | Washington |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2012 Washington Attorney General election |
| Previous Year: | 2012 |
| Next Election: | 2020 Washington Attorney General election |
| Next Year: | 2020 |
| Image1: | File:Bob Ferguson 03 crop.jpg |
| Nominee1: | Bob Ferguson |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 2,000,804 |
| Percentage1: | 66.9% |
| Nominee2: | Joshua Trumbull |
| Party2: | Libertarian Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 979,105 |
| Percentage2: | 32.8% |
| 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, elected in 2012 as a Democrat, sought reelection, opposed by Joshua B. Trumbull, who ran as a Libertarian.
See main article: 2016 Washington Secretary of State election.
Incumbent Secretary of State Kim Wyman, elected in 2012 as the only Republican to hold a statewide office on the West Coast, sought reelection.[16] Former Seattle City Councilmember Tina Podlodowski announced her bid in January 2016, seeking to become the first Democrat to hold the office since 1965.[17] Wyman retained her seat with 55% of the vote.[18]
| Election Name: | 2016 Washington State Auditor election |
| Country: | Washington |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2012 Washington elections#State auditor |
| Previous Year: | 2012 |
| Next Election: | 2020 Washington State Auditor election |
| Next Year: | 2020 |
| Election Date: | November 8, 2016 |
| Image1: | Pat McCarthy (19280364431).jpg |
| Nominee1: | Pat McCarthy |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (US) |
| Popular Vote1: | 1,597,011 |
| Percentage1: | 52.2% |
| Nominee2: | Mark Miloscia |
| Party2: | Republican Party (US) |
| Popular Vote2: | 1,455,771 |
| Percentage2: | 47.6% |
| State Auditor | |
| Before Election: | Troy Kelley |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Pat McCarthy |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
Incumbent state auditor Troy Kelley, elected as a Democrat in 2012, was indicted over federal charges of felony theft and money laundering. Several attempts to remove him from office, including a threat of impeachment by the legislature, proved unsuccessful.[19] Kelley did not file to run for a second term.[20]
Two Democratic, one Republican and two independent candidates competed in the primary. Mark Miloscia (R) and Pat McCarthy (D) finished as top two and advanced to the general election. McCarthy won by 5 points.[21]
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin | Pat McCarthy (D) | Mark Miloscia (R) | Undecided | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elway Poll | October 20–22, 2016 | 502 (RV) | ± 4.5% | 39% | 29% | 32% | ||
| Elway Poll | August 9–13, 2016 | 500 (RV) | ± 4.5% | 37% | 29% | 34% |
| Election Name: | 2016 Washington State Treasurer election |
| Country: | Washington |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | No |
| Previous Election: | 2012 Washington elections#State treasurer |
| Previous Year: | 2012 |
| Next Election: | 2020 Washington State Treasurer election |
| Next Year: | 2020 |
| Election Date: | November 8, 2016 |
| Image1: | Duane Davidson.jpg |
| Nominee1: | Duane Davidson |
| Party1: | Republican Party (US) |
| Popular Vote1: | 1,576,580 |
| Percentage1: | 57.4% |
| Nominee2: | Michael Waite |
| Party2: | Republican Party (US) |
| Popular Vote2: | 1,134,843 |
| Percentage2: | 41.3% |
| State Treasurer | |
| Before Election: | James McIntire |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Duane Davidson |
| After Party: | Republican Party (US) |
Incumbent James McIntire announced on December 16, 2015, that he would not seek a third term as Washington State Treasurer.[22] Five candidates are running to succeed him: state senator Marko Liias, former Port of Seattle commissioner Alec Fisken, pension consultant John Paul Comerford, Benton County treasurer Duane Davidson, and investment firm executive Michael Waite.[23] Liias, Fisken, and Comerford are running as Democrats; Davidson and Waite, as Republicans.[23]
Duane Davidson and Michael Waite, both Republicans, finished as top two in the primary election and advanced to the general election, marking the first time since the top-two system had been instituted that both of the primary slots in any statewide race had been won by Republicans.[24]
In the general election, Duane Davidson received the endorsements of every county treasurer in Washington state, both Democrat and Republican, as well as Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman. Michael Waite was endorsed by former Democratic state Auditor Brian Sonntag and former state Attorney General Rob McKenna.[25]
Davidson won the general election for Treasurer. This was the first time a Republican had been elected to the office of Treasurer of Washington in more than 50 years.[24]
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin | Duane Davidson (R) | Michael Waite (R) | Undecided | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elway Poll | October 20–22, 2016 | 502 (RV) | ± 4.5% | 17% | 16% | 67% | |
| Elway Poll | August 9–13, 2016 | 500 (RV) | ± 4.5% | 16% | 16% | 68% |
| Election Name: | 2016 Washington Public Lands Commissioner election |
| Country: | Washington |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2012 Washington elections#Public Lands Commissioner |
| Previous Year: | 2012 |
| Next Election: | 2020 Washington Public Lands Commissioner election |
| Next Year: | 2020 |
| Election Date: | November 8, 2016 |
| Image1: | Hilary Franz 01.jpg |
| Candidate1: | Hilary Franz |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 1,630,369 |
| Percentage1: | 53.1% |
| Candidate2: | Steve McLaughlin |
| Party2: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 1,436,817 |
| Percentage2: | 46.8% |
| Public Lands Commissioner | |
| Before Election: | Peter J. Goldmark |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Hilary Franz |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
Incumbent Public Lands Commissioner Peter J. Goldmark, elected in 2008 and reelected in 2012, announced his intention to not seek a third term in office.[26]
Five Democrats, one Republican, and one Libertarian competed in the primary. Steve McLaughlin (R) and Hilary Franz (D) finished as top two and advanced to the general election. Franz was elected with 53% of the vote.[27]
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin | Hilary Franz (D) | Steve McLaughlin (R) | Undecided | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elway Poll | October 20–22, 2016 | 502 (RV) | ± 4.5% | 36% | 31% | 33% | ||
| Elway Poll | August 9–13, 2016 | 500 (RV) | ± 4.5% | 33% | 32% | 35% |
| Election Name: | 2016 Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction election |
| Country: | Washington (state) |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2012 Washington (state) Superintendent of Public Instruction election |
| Previous Year: | 2012 |
| Next Election: | 2020 Washington (state) Superintendent of Public Instruction election |
| Next Year: | 2020 |
| Image1: | Chris Reykdal at Comcast Leaders & Achievers Scholarship Reception 2017.jpg |
| Nominee1: | Chris Reykdal |
| Party1: | Nonpartisan politician |
| Popular Vote1: | 1,337,547 |
| Percentage1: | 50.5% |
| Nominee2: | Erin Jones |
| Party2: | Nonpartisan politician |
| Popular Vote2: | 1,309,896 |
| Percentage2: | 49.5% |
| Map Size: | 250px |
| Superintendent of Public Instruction | |
| Before Election: | Randy Dorn |
| Before Party: | Nonpartisan politician |
| After Election: | Chris Reykdal |
| After Party: | Nonpartisan politician |
Incumbent Randy Dorn declined to run for a third term as Superintendent of Public Instruction.[28] Nine candidates ran in the nonpartisan election. Erin Jones and Chris Reykdal finished as top two and advanced to the general election. In a close race, Reykdal edged out Jones by one point.[29] Jones conceded the election on November 22.[30]
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin | Erin Jones (D) | Chris Reykdal (R) | Undecided | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elway Poll | October 20–22, 2016 | 502 (RV) | ± 4.5% | 18% | 17% | 65% | |
| Elway Poll | August 9–13, 2016 | 500 (RV) | ± 4.5% | 16% | 16% | 68% |
Mike Kreidler was reelected to his fifth term.
See main article: Washington State Senate election, 2016.
Twenty-five of the forty-nine seats in the Washington State Senate were up for election. Republicans held a narrow majority in the Senate, taking 26 seats compared to 23 for the Democrats.[1] Seven incumbent senators retired, creating vacancies that had the potential to swing the split of party votes.[31] A Democrat defeated the Republican incumbent in District 41, leaving Republicans with a one-seat majority.
See main article: Washington House of Representatives election, 2016.
All 98 seats in the Washington House of Representatives were up for election. The outgoing House had a narrow Democratic majority, with 50 seats compared to the Republicans' 48.[1] Both parties picked up seats from the other party, resulting in the same overall composition.