Several thousand ballots are still to be counted before the election can be officially certified on December 5 by the Secretary of State. Movement has been seen in several close races. While most outcomes are already decided, the victors are preparing to govern.
- In the U.S. Senate, Maria Cantwell has secured another six years in office.
- In U.S. Congress, Washington will welcome former State Senator Mike Baumgartner to the 5th District (Spokane area).
- Current State Senator Emily Randall will be welcomed to the 6th District (Gig Harbor, Port Orchard, and surrounding areas).
- There were no other changes in the remaining eight Congressional seats.
For Statewide elections:
- Current Attorney General Bob Ferguson won the governor’s race and has already begun assembling his team.
- Nick Brown, former U.S. Attorney, will take his place as Attorney General.
- Steve Hobbs will remain as Secretary of State.
- Lt. Governor Denny Heck earned another four years in office.
- State Senator Patty Kuderer will be the new Insurance. Commissioner, replacing the retiring Mike Kreidler.
- Dave Upthegrove, current King County Councilmember and former State Legislator, will become the new Lands Commissioner.
- Chris Reykdal will remain as Superintendent of Public Instruction.
- Pat McCarthy will continue as Auditor.
- Mike Pellicciotti will serve another term as Treasurer.
In the Legislature, Democrats are likely to gain one seat in both the House and Senate.
- In the open 26th District House race (Gig Harbor/Port Orchard), former State Rep. Jesse Young is trailing former House candidate Adison Richards.
- In the open 18th District Senate race (Vancouver), former candidate Adrian Cortes is leading political newcomer Brad Benton by just 264 votes.
Both sides are currently working to “cure” ballots, meaning they are helping voters whose ballots were not initially counted (for reasons such as missing signatures or mismatched names) correct any issues so their votes can be counted. In close races, these efforts can be the deciding factor between winning and losing.
Regardless of the final results, WR, its members, and its staff extend congratulations to all newly elected and returning officials. We look forward to working collaboratively with you to preserve and improve the retail industry for our customers, employees, and business owners.
Thank you to all the voters who participated in this important and historic election.
