Midterms live updates for Washington state
👇 Below you'll find local election updates and highlights from NPR's election coverage.
🗳 View live election results for key contests in Washington.
We're closing this blog but our reporting will continue
After today, we will no longer be bringing you updates on this page. But the KNKX newsroom, our partners in the Northwest News Network and NPR will continue to cover the outstanding races and important issues raised during the 2022 midterm elections. Find all of KNKX's 2022 election coverage here.
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Thousands of new voters registered in-person this election, but no where near 2020 numbers
In-person voter transfers and new voter registrations in Washington state were at their highest levels since the 2020 general election.
More than 6,100 people registered to vote in-person and more than 11,400 voters completed an in-person transfer, when a voter makes a change of address at the elections office.
Over the past nine elections, spanning from 2019 to present, the highest number of in-person new voter registrations occurred during the 2020 general election. 19,728 people registered to vote in-person that November.
Derrick Nunnally, deputy director for external affairs for Washington's Secretary of State, told KNKX earlier this week that same-day registration appears to be growing more popular.
"A big factor may be that we've had a few years now for the word to get out about this option," he said in an email.
Latest update shows races for 3rd District, 8th District and Sec. of State remain tight
As of Thursday afternoon, the results show:
🔹 Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (Dem) approximately 10,000 votes ahead of Joe Kent (GOP) in the 3rd District.
🔹 Kim Schrier (Dem) approximately 15,000 votes ahead of Matt Larkin (GOP) in the 8th District.
🔹 Steve Hobbs (Dem) approximately 67,000 votes ahead of Julie Anderson (Nonpartisan) for Secretary of State.
See the latest results below 👇
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Looks like amendment to move King County elections to even years will pass
King County Charter Amendment No. 1 asked "Shall the King County Charter be amended to move elections for the county offices of executive, assessor, director of elections and councilmembers from odd-numbered to even-numbered years?"
As of Wednesday, 70% of votes counted said "Yes."
The change would take effect in 2026. KUOW explains how the shift will result in shorter terms for 12 King County elected officials.
Analysis of nationwide voter turnout continues
Watching and waiting continues in four key Senate races
NPR Senior Political Editor Domenico Montanaro takes a closer look at the Senate races we're still waiting on in the NPR live blog.
WA voter turnout down from 2018 while OR turnout is up
As of 11:15 a.m. today, the Washington Secretary of State reported 40.94% of ballots have been counted. On Wednesday, 56% of eligible ballots had been reported returned.
Returned ballots show the older the voter, the more likely they voted in the 2022 midterms. 78% of voters over 65 years old have returned ballots while 28% of voters 18 to 24 years old returned ballots.
Among the five largest counties in Washington state:
🗳 51% of ballots reported as returned in King County.
🗳 59% of ballots reported as returned in Pierce and Snohomish counties.
🗳 61% of ballots reported as returned in Spokane County.
🗳 63% of ballots reported as returned in Clark County.
Here's the difference between returned, accepted and counted ballots.
One day after the election in 2018, 68% of ballots had been returned. In 2022, 56% of ballots have been returned, a more than 10% decrease in voter participation.
Ananalysis by The Washington Post shows while Washington voter turnout is trending lower than the 2018 midterms, Oregon voter turnout surpassed 2018. Oregon had a number of major initiatives on the ballot along with a tight race for the governorship.
Murray and Smiley spent $34M in this year's senate race
The Seattle Times reportsthis year's senate race is the most expensive congressional race ever in Washington. Murray's campaign spent more than $20 million, Smiley's spend surpassed $14 million and its estimated outside groups also spent more than $20 million.
For Axios Seattle, Melissa Santos reportedthat the $56 million total could buy more than 11 million lattes or purchase 69 median-priced homes in King County outright.
Santos also included a daunting reminder: It will all start again soon for 2024 campaigns.
Washington's 3rd and 8th district races remain close, Dems ahead
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Read the latest about this race from Oregon Public Broadcasting.
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Republican Tiffany Smiley concedes to Democrat Patty Murray in WA Senate race
Tiffany Smiley (GOP) conceded to longtime Washington Senator Patty Murray on Wednesday night. The Associated Press called the race for Murray on election night.
Senator Patty Murray widened her lead on her Republican opponent in Wednesday's ballot count: she stood nearly fifteen points ahead with an estimated two-thirds of ballots counted statewide, according to the secretary of state's office.
Recent election headlines from NPR
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President Biden leaves Thursday for a series of major summits with foreign leaders. And in Bali, he'll meet face-to-face with Chinese President Xi Jinping. -
It took much longer for the House to be called in Republicans' favor that either party was expecting. When all is said and done, the GOP may wind up with just a 3- to 4-seat majority. -
Voters in Missouri and Maryland approved adult-use recreational pot, but similar measures were rejected in Arkansas and the Dakotas.
The elections continues, especially for ballot workers
Seasonal ballot workers often put in 11-hour days during election week — here are some processing Snohomish County votes in Everett on Election Day.
And the King County Elections team still has some work ahead of them:
Our teams picked up at least 150,000 ballots from drop boxes last night. Trained staff are working all day, preparing them to be sorted. pic.twitter.com/w7fBlB521A
— King County Elections (@kcelections) November 9, 2022
Did you put your ballot in a drop box yesterday? Your ballot is probably in one of these securely stored bins, waiting to be processed. pic.twitter.com/lrVIK2mO0n
— King County Elections (@kcelections) November 9, 2022
Key race results from King County
Here are results for races KNKX covered in the lead up to the election:
➡ Two reform-focused candidates running for the 37th Legislative District
➡ For the first time in 44 years, the race for King County prosecutor – the office that handles all felonies in Washington’s largest county – is open, with no incumbent running. Leesa Manion is the current prosecutor's chief of staff, and if elected she plans to continue using diversion programs rather than jail for some offenders. Her opponent is Jim Ferrell, the mayor of Federal Way, who wants to prosecute more cases and limit which offenders are eligible for diversion programs. While Manion has the support of progressive organizations, Farrell is supported by police unions.
➡ Not all PNW voters sold on ranked-choice voting
➡ Seattle voters to consider two new voting methods in November, what are the options?
View updated election results for key contests in Washington
🗳 View live election results for key contests in Washington including the 3rd and 8th Congressional Districts.
Below are the live results for Secretary of State race:
And here is the current status of the House and Senate:
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Oregon governor's race on knife's edge, too early to call
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon’s gubernatorial election hung on a knife’s edge Wednesday, with the race too early to call in a state that has voted in Democratic governors since 1986.
Democrat Tina Kotek was slightly ahead of Republican Christine Drazan, according to partial results from the secretary of state’s office.
Abortion is a defining difference between the two parties for this voter
Evan Galt, 48, lives in Everett near Mukilteo. His ballot didn’t arrive at his home, he thought it may have been lost in the mail. Still, he felt it was important to come out to vote at the Snohomish County vote center.
“I'm pro women's choice to pick what they want to do with their bodies. And that's why I voted that way," he said.
Galt said that was the major issue for him this election. He also mentioned the economy but doesn't think it's something politicians are going to do anything about. But he does think abortion is an issue they will do something about.
"I tend to not think there's this big a difference in the parties. To me, the left wing in the right wing or the same bird run by the same people. But there are some differences. And so, you know, the abortion one was one for me."
Democrat Marilyn Strickland wins reelection to U.S. House in Washington's 10th Congressional District
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrat Marilyn Strickland wins reelection to U.S. House in Washington's 10th Congressional District.
A ballot cast to honor her mother and African American ancestors
Donna Kelly, 60, lives in Everett and works in youth substance abuse prevention at Seattle Public Schools. She thought her address on her voter registration would transfer with her car registration, but it didn’t happen – so she headed to the Snohomish County vote center to get it sorted out.
Kelly said it's important to her to vote and that she's motivated by the history of African Americans not being able to participate in politics and the voting process in the past.
"My mother, an activist, fought long and hard for the ability to be able to vote. She walked with a limp most of her life because she was denied access to a hospital," she said.
Kelly explained her mother grew up in Muskogee, Oklahoma where there was a white-only hospital.
"That's my motivating factor. I want to be able to ensure that I carry on what many of our ancestors were unable or denied to do," she said.
Kelly also said she feels that there is a lot at risk in this particular election.
"We want to be able to vote on those issues that are important to us. And so that is why I'm also here as well."
Scenes from two ballrooms in Bellevue on election night
The Washington State Republican Party held its election night party at the Regency Hyatt in Bellevue. Less than two blocks away, the Washington State Democratic Party had its gathering at the Westin.
By the end of the evening, the Democrats claimed the more celebratory atmosphere but Republicans remained optimistic. Three House races remain to be called by the Associated Press. The latest results will post around 4 p.m.
Returned, accepted and counted: The journey of a ballot
There are a lot of numbers flying around this election season. Here are three different ways you may see ballot counts mentioned:
- Ballots returned - This number represents all the ballots turned in via drop box or in-person voting. As of midday on Wednesday, more than 2.2 million ballots have been returned in Washington state, 46% of eligible ballots.
- Ballots accepted - Ballots that are verified, including through signature matching, are considered "accepted" and head to the next step. At present, 2 million ballots have been accepted and approximately 33,000 have been challenged.
- Ballots counted (or tabulated) - These are verified ballots that have been counted towards race results. As of election night, more than 1.7 million ballots had been counted, or 36% of all eligible ballots.
The Washington Secretary of State will update these counts later today. Expect the number of ballots counted to continue to rise to meet the number of ballots accepted.
Touting MAGA as his main issue, a Vietnamese-American wants borders closed
Truc Le, 70, retired, lives in South Everett. He said he had many jobs over the years including working at Boeing.
Le didn't receive his ballot in the mail, so he was excited he could still vote at the Snohomish County voting center. Le said wanted to vote to make America better, repeating "MAGA, MAGA!" – the slogan popularized by former President Donald Trump.
"Because I was from Vietnam, I ran away from Communists, with a boat – very dangerous. So I want to have...freedom," Le said.
Le said another issue that brought him out to vote is closing the border. He said immigrants crossing the border are violent, a false association that has been repeatedly debunked while continuing to circulate among President Trump's supporters.
Biden speaking at 1 p.m. PT
News from around the country
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Neither candidate was above the 50% threshold needed to win outright under Georgia law. This sets up a post-Thanksgiving showdown in what is already the country's most expensive Senate race. -
Skyrocketing rents and home prices have been a major part of voters' economic pain. New spending will go toward building and subsidizing more housing, and helping people avoid homelessness. -
Not all of the results are in just yet, but there are some notable wins in the races that have been called.
Democrat Tina Kotek will be Oregon’s next governor
Democrat Tina Kotek will be Oregon’s next governor.
Kotek and Republican Christie Drazan went to bed late Tuesday, or perhaps early Wednesday, in a race too close to call. But morning returns from Multnomah County and the reality that most of the ballots left to be counted come from Oregon’s most populous county, where Kotek is capturing more than 70% of the vote, have given Kotek enough of a lead that The Oregonian has declared her the winner.
House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy announces his run for Speaker
In a letter to his caucus on Wednesday, House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy officially announced his intention to run for Speaker of the House.
Voting to "dilute the more extreme views"
Christopher Swanson, 29, lives in Mill Creek and works in the pharmaceuticals industry. He voted in-person at the Snohomish County vote center after his ballot was lost in the mail.
"There's a lot of partisan rhetoric that I think gives extreme views the bigger platform to spread. And most people, whether you're on the right side of the aisle or left side of the aisle, generally don't share the extreme views," he said.
"So I just think it's more of a civic duty, even if I know I'm in a blue state and I'm voting more, like, more in a liberal manner. It's kind of an important thing to…at least contribute my voice. So there's something to dilute the more extreme views out there."
Arizona, Georgia, and Nevada: These are the Senate races NPR is still watching
The Associated Press has not yet call a winner for Senate races in the key states of Arizona, Georgia, and Nevada.
Amongsix key takeaways from the ongoing midterm election, NPR Senior Political Editor Domenico Montanaro noted that "the Senate is undecided, and is going to go on a while." He wrote Republicans expected to win up to 52 seats, which now appears unlikely.
👀 See results for these key Senate races on the NPR election live blog.
A push in parts of the Pacific Northwest to try ranked-choice voting sees mixed results so far
A push in many parts of the Pacific Northwest to try ranked-choice voting is seeing mixed results in early returns.
🔹 In Oregon's Multnomah County and the city of Portland, two different types of ranked-choice voting are doing well.
🔹 In Washington, San Juan County and Clark County appear to have rejected measures to change to ranked-choice.
🔹 Seattle’s race is perhaps the most interesting. Voters were asked if they wanted to change voting at all and if voting were changed, which system would they choose.
“Win, lose, or draw, we always knew tonight was always going to be only the next step in a long march towards a truly reflective and equitable democracy,” said Stephanie Houghton, managing director for FairVote Washington, in a statement.
A new U.S. citizen and the son of immigrants view midterms with a sense of importance
At the Snohomish County vote center in Everett on Tuesday, it almost felt like the old days before Washington adopted universal vote-by-mail in 2011.
People were depositing ballots in drop boxes or filling them out in voting booths. A small line formed at times for those who needed to register or update their information. Among them were Mrutunjaya ‘J’ Mishra and his spouse Deebika, who live in Bothell.
He’s a tech worker for Amazon – and she was getting registered for the first time, because she just got her citizenship last month. J said he used to only vote in presidential years – but now he’s realized the House and Senate really matter too.
"I see the fundamental freedom and rights that my immigrant parents moved here for is being stripped away. And I wanted to make sure I'm here to kind of represent that, that doesn't happen," he said.
Deebika added that she’s especially worried about the rights that were overturned with Roe V. Wade.
"I really want to change that...I want to fight for the women abortion rights," she said.
That was by far the issue most voters at the vote center talked about. Others in line said they were voting to combat extremism and protect voting rights. One man repeated Trump’s MAGA slogan.
WA Republicans disappointed by early returns but remain optimistic
In early returns for the 2022 midterms Republicans are trailing Democrats in several key Congressional races in Washington.
From the national headlines
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These midterm elections show why it's always important to never assume you know exactly what's going to happen in advance – and to keep an open mind for potential surprises. -
Voters in several states were asked to weigh in on ballot measures specifically related to abortion rights. -
The seat, which flips from Republican to Democrat, was vacated by retiring GOP Sen. Pat Toomey.
Hobbs thinks voters will stick with him. Anderson predicts the race will tighten.
Appointed incumbent Steve Hobbs is leading nonpartisan challenger Julie Anderson by 3 points after the initial count of ballots. If Hobbs holds on to win, he'd also be the first person of color elected as Washington Secretary of State.
"People probably looked at both candidates and went, ‘You know what, Hobbs is doing a good job, or the current secretary is doing a good job.’ Why replace somebody who is doing a good job," said Hobbs.
The winner will serve the remaining two years in office of a term originally won by Republican Kim Wyman. Wyman departedlast year to take a job in the Biden administration.
Neither Hobbs nor Anderson declared victory based on the initial returns. But Hobbs sounded optimistic when he spoke to the crowd at the state Democrats' election night party.
"What red wave? I don’t understand, was there a red wave here? There was no red wave in Washington state. So, thank you so much," Hobbs said.
Challenger Anderson currently runs elections in Pierce County. She said the outcome may be up in the air until Friday.
"With 13 years of experience, what I know is this: races will tighten, races can widen and races can actually flip," Anderson said.
GOP state Rep. Brad Klippert of Kennewick mounted a shoestring write-in campaign after no Republicans made it to the general in this race. He’s at around 3%.
A lost ballot, democracy and abortion rights
Rise Gamble from Bothell said her daughter’s ballot apparently got lost in the mail after several moves. So they went to the Snohomish County vote center on Tuesday to get it sorted out. Access to abortion was on Gamble's mind as well.
“As we all know, democracy is on the ballot," Gamble said.
"But I'm also very, very concerned that rights are being stripped away, as opposed to the rights that we've been trying to protect for the last 50 years. And if we're going to talk about abortion, it's not about abortion – the right to family planning is an economic need.”
Statewide statistics show voter centers have been especially busy since Friday. Long lines formedon Tuesday to vote at Seattle's Lumen Field. It may be enough to push voter turnout to above average for a midterm.
Results from a rare contested coroner race in Cowlitz County
In a rare contested coroner race, challenger Dana Tucker is leading incumbent Tim Davison. Tucker, who prefers the Republican party, had 58% and Davison, who identifies as an independent, had 41% on election night.
Davidson previously ran unopposed in every election since he took over the office in 2006. Last year, KNKX reported that two state investigations found he misappropriated more than $12,600.
His challenger, Dana Tucker, works as deputy coroner for Island County. But before that, she worked in Davidson's office. She is among several witnesses listed in documents KNKX obtained in those investigations, which included allegations against his second-in-command.
Abortion rights motivated many Snohomish County voters to stand in line
Election officials say it looks like there may have been a surge of last-minute voting in this election – especially in-person. At the Snohomish County vote center in Everett on Tuesday, most voters who spoke to KNKX said concern for abortion rights was what motivated them to stand in line.
Jennifer Tui, 21, from Everett, said she was busy with school and she thinks her parents accidentally recycled her ballot which brought her out to vote in-person. But she doesn’t like the direction of politics lately and the anti-abortion focus.
"I want to make sure I get my ballot, my vote count today for sure. I want to make sure I have politicians in the office that I want – that represent and that matches my values," Tui said.
Overall, voting in the U.S. on Tuesday was ... uneventful
In an election that had experts worried about vigilante poll monitors and the potential for danger for election workers, voting on Election Day seems to have gone off without any major incidents.
That is — no incidents that rise above the normal snafus and mistakes that come with every major federal election.
The highest profile of those issues may have been in Maricopa County, Ariz., where a printer issue meant roughly 20% of ballot counters were unusable early in the day.
Southwest Washington congressional race too close to call as vote counting continues
In a race viewed by many as a microcosm of America’s political climate, middle-of-the-road Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez jumped out to a narrow, early lead Tuesday night over Donald Trump-endorsed Joe Kent as they bid to become Southwest Washington’s next congressperson.
The race is too close to call. County election officials in the district, which touches seven counties, expect ballot tabulation to last multiple days.
Rep. Kim Schrier leads Republican in Washington's 8th District
Election night vote tallies show Democratic U.S. Representative Kim Schrier leading her Republican opponent, Matt Larkin, by less than seven percentage points in the race to represent Washington’s 8th District. The Sammamish Democrat had 52.7% and the Woodinville Republican 47% on election night.
Larkin said at the state Republican party’s election night party in Bellevue that he still believes he’ll win.
“There’s still energy in this room, I can feel it,” Larkin said to supporters. “We are right in this thing. We are right where we want to be – in the pocket of victory, where we can actually still win this.”
Democrat Hobbs takes early lead in secretary of state race
Democrats are trying to win the secretary of state’s office in an election for the first time in six decades after Republicans failed to advance a candidate in the primary. Current Democratic Secretary of State Steve Hobbs took a narrow early lead against nonpartisan Pierce County Auditor Julie Anderson in Tuesday’s general election. Republicans were shut out of the state’s top two primary in August. Hobbs was appointed by Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee last November to replace Republican Secretary of State Kim Wyman when she took an election security job in the Biden administration. This election will determine who serves the last two years of Wyman’s term.
Incumbents reelected to 7 of Washington's 10 House seats
Seven House incumbents have won reelection, according to race calls from The Associated Press. The 3rd, 8th and 10th Congressional Districts have not been called.
- Suzan DelBene (Dem.) wins reelection to U.S. House in Washington's 1st Congressional District.
- Rick Larsen (Dem.) wins reelection to U.S. House in Washington's 2nd Congressional District.
- Republican Dan Newhouse (GOP) wins reelection to U.S. House in Washington's 4th Congressional District.
- Cathy McMorris Rodgers (GOP) wins reelection to U.S. House in Washington's 5th Congressional District.
- Derek Kilmer (Dem.) wins reelection to U.S. House in Washington's 6th Congressional District.
- Pramila Jayapal (Dem.) wins reelection to U.S. House in Washington's 7th Congressional District.
- Adam Smith (Dem.) wins reelection to U.S. House in Washington's 9th Congressional District.
Democrat Patty Murray wins sixth term to US Senate
Sen. Patty Murray won reelection as the Democratic stalwart prevailed in a campaign in which she repeatedly said her Republican challenger was too extreme for Washington state. Murray bested defeated Tiffany Smiley on Tuesday in her quest for a sixth term.
Murray’s 30 years in the Senate place her behind only Democratic Sens. Warren Magnuson and Henry “Scoop” Jackson for longest service in the Senate from the Evergreen State. The powerhouse duo served 36 years and 30 years, respectively, and were among the most powerful senators of the mid-20th century. Murray is now a member of the Democratic leadership.
Tracking the balance of power
The outcomes of individual races across the nation will define the composition of the U.S. Congress. Three key races in Washington state, one in the Senate and two in the House, will contribute to the balance of power in Congress for the next two years.
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Find updates from across the country on the NPR Election 2022 live blog. Stay tuned right here for local election updates and more highlights from NPR's national coverage.
Early results show tight race for OR governor
Democrat Tina Kotek and Republican Christine Drazan were locked in a tight race for Oregon governor that may not be finalized for days, according to early election results. Preliminary returns released around 8 p.m. Tuesday showed Kotek with a slight edge, but vote counting is expected to continue throughout election night and beyond. Betsy Johnson, running as an unaffiliated candidate, was a distant third.
Live results for Secretary of State race
Democrats are trying to win the secretary of state’s office in an election for the first time in six decades after Republicans failed to advance a candidate in the primary. Current Democratic Secretary of State Steve Hobbs faces nonpartisan Pierce County Auditor Julie Anderson in Tuesday’s general election. Republicans were shut out of the state’s top two primary in August.
Hobbs was appointed by Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee last November to replace Republican Secretary of State Kim Wyman once she took a key election security job in the Biden administration. While his appointment marked the first time a Democrat held the office since the mid-1960s, Hobbs has not yet faced voters. This election will determine who serves the last two years of Wyman’s term.
Here are the key election results from Washington
🗳 View live election results for key contests in Washington. First results will be posted at 8:15 p.m. and be updated daily.
🏁 Key races to watch...
- Senate: Patty Murray (Dem) vs. Tiffany Smiley (GOP)
- 3rd Congressional District: Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (Dem) vs. Joe Kent (GOP)
- 8th Congressional District: Matt Larkin (GOP) vs. Kim Schrier (Dem)
- Secretary of State: Steve Hobbs (Dem) vs. Julie Anderson (Nonpartisan)
Why mail voting laws may slow the count in some key swing states
In states where voting by mail is on the rise, there's a wonky reason why officials may be slower to report midterm results on election night.
Before mail-in ballots can be counted, they have to go through a process sometimes referred to as "pre-canvassing."
It can include checking voters' signatures on the return envelopes, opening the envelopes, taking out the ballots, flattening and then grouping them into stacks ready for scanning.
Some states, however, have election laws in place that do not allow pre-canvassing to begin until that last day of voting. That includes the key swing states of Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, where prep work cannot start until 7 a.m. local time on Election Day.
Scenes from Election Day in Everett, WA
Earlier today, KNKX reporter Bellamy Pailthorp visited a voting center in Everett, Washington. Located 25 miles north of Seattle, Everett is the seat of Snohomish County. Parts of Snohomish County are in the redrawn 8th Congressional District, one of the state's most competitive races.
She spoke with voters, election officials and seasonal ballot workers, many who are putting in 11-hour days this week.
Stay tuned for more from Bellamy's Election Day reporting trip.
Maxwell Frost elected as the first Gen Z member of Congress
Democrat Maxwell Frost has won in Florida's 10th Congressional District, according to a race call by the Associated Press, making him the first member of Generation Z elected to serve in the U.S. Congress.
Frost was heavily favored to win the Orlando-based seat, which is solidly Democrat. He defeated Republican Calvin Wimbish by 19 percentage points. Frost will succeed outgoing Democratic Rep. Val Demings, who challenged incumbent Marco Rubio in the Senate. Rubio won his reelection, according to the AP.
Washington state voter turnout currently at 46%, down from 2018
As of Election Day, 46.45% of ballots have been returned statewide. That's down from 56.35% in 2018, the last midterms election.
While there are more than 440,000 more voters in Washington state than four years ago, measuring the percent of ballots returns shows lower voter participation so far.
It will take some time to know for certain how this year's voter turnout compares to past years and how Washington's participation rates compare nationwide.
📊 Data fans can follow the Secretary of State's Ballot Return Statistics.
Two reform-focused candidates running for the 37th Legislative District
Earlier this year, in what was a surprise to many, state Representative Kirsten Harris-Talley announcedshe was not running for reelection after serving just one term representing south Seattle.
Harris-Talley had jumped from Black Lives Matter protests to the state house, but gave up her seat largely because of a lack of progress on police reform. The two candidates now competing for the 37th Legislative District seat are aiming to reform the legislature in their own ways.
Chipalo Street lives in the Central District. Emijah Smith grew up there. But the two Democratic candidates come from radically different backgrounds.
Street grew up in Washington, D.C. He attended Brown University, interned at Microsoft and is also a landlord. He told KNKX he’s ready to advocate for Black and brown communities and navigate the legislature.
"Navigating primarily white institutions is not something new to me. Brown was primarily a white institution. I got beat up by police at Brown and then watching sort of the reaction to that of 'Oh, that's so bad, but we're not going to hold anyone accountable is again,' sort of not a new experience," Street said.
Emijah Smith has worked at Odessa Brown Children's Clinic; at the nonprofit Children’s Alliance; and most recently with King County Equity Now pushing for racial justice.
Smith said she was motivated to run because she wants to help transform the legislature.
"Legislators are telling us they're not really moving. They're kind of sticking to the old norm. So that is what pushed my interest, to be honest, because I want to be a change-maker and a person who will help to transform that space," she said.
Currently only about 20% of the state legislature is Black or a person of color.
Long lines to vote at Lumen Field but officials say 'stay in line!'
King County Elections estimated a two hour wait for voters queued up at Seattle's Lumen Field, according to The Seattle Times. Election officials announced more staff on the way and emphasized that anyone in line – at any of the county's six voting centers – at 8 p.m. will be able to register and vote.
King County voters! If you are in line at a vote center - stay in line! We have more staff arriving and all voters will be helped.
— King County Elections (@kcelections) November 9, 2022
If you lost your ballot or are not registered to vote, head to one of six @kcelections Voting Centers! View from @LumenField. Find your center here: https://t.co/wofIUeTrof pic.twitter.com/gkI2jRcm2J
— Seattle Channel (@SeattleChannel) November 9, 2022
Hey folks, we've heard the line at the Vote Center @LumenField is long. If you're unable to wait in that line and seek assistance at a Vote Center, we have five other Vote Centers where lines are currently shorter. https://t.co/HB5N6ecxTr
— King County Elections (@kcelections) November 8, 2022
Meet first-time voters supporting Republicans this cycle
Young conservative voters aren't a monolith. They have different policy priorities and different views on what role former President Trump should play in the Republican Party.
Katelyn Diaz thinks it's time for the GOP to take notice of its young members.
Polls start to close in the 2022 midterms elections
The East Coast is three hours ahead, which means the last polls open in these states are starting to close:
Follow live coverage of results on these key races on the NPR Election 2022 live blog. Stay tuned right here for local election updates and more highlights from NPR's national coverage.
Seattle and Tacoma's municipal court judges are on the ballot, here's what they do
It’s an election year for all of Seattle and Tacoma’s municipal court judges. While most of them are unopposed there are a few open seats and a few incumbents have drawn challengers.
Because many judges run unopposed and aren’t very well-known, voters sometimes skip voting in those races. But this year, races for four municipal judge positions in Tacoma and Seattle are contested.
Municipal judges do everything from performing marriages to passing down sentences for lesser offenses – misdemeanors, infractions, fines. But their jobs are really important – many of the people who come through their courts are homeless and have behavioral health challenges. Judges have to decide whether to fine them, or whether to send them to jail or treatment.
These issues have become politicized this election season, so it would be tempting to cast the candidates for these judgeships as progressive or tough on crime, but it's more complicated. Crystal Fincher is a political consultant who recently held a forum with Seattle candidates on her radio show, Hacks and Wonks.
"Doesn't mean it's always justified, but a challenger running against an incumbent usually feels that that incumbent is doing something specific wrong. And not just a, Hey, I'm a Democrat and you're a Republican type of thing," Fincher told KNKX.
One thing candidates in Tacoma and Seattle are bringing up community courts and therapeutic courts, finding people alternatives to jail. Some candidates are running to expand these courts. One challenger is running to roll back Seattle's Community Court Program.
The latest count on in-person voting transactions
As of midday today, in-person voter transfers and new voter registrations are up significantly since Friday. An in-person transfer is when a voter makes a change of address at the elections office.
With 6,443 in-person transfers and 3,525 in-person new registrations, the latest numbers indicate a spike of in-person transactions when compared to elections in 2019 and 2021. Over the past nine elections, the highest number of in-person transactions occurred during the 2020 general election with more than 19,000 new voters registering in-person.
Derrick Nunnally, deputy director for external affairs for Washington's Secretary of State, told KNKX that same-day registration appears to be growing more popular.
"A big factor may be that we've had a few years now for the word to get out about this option," he wrote in an email.
How to avoid sharing false or misleading news about the election
In the past decade or so, the way people consume information has radically changed thanks to social media. And you, the user, have some influence over the algorithms that serve you posts, videos and news stories in your feed.
With that in mind, here are several things to consider when sharing news of all kinds, but especially election news:
🔹 Consider the source
🔹 The pace of election results likely reflects different rules
🔹 Be wary of what photos and videos purport to show
🔹 Documented cases of election fraud are extremely rare
🔹 Election workers are your neighbors
🔹 If a news story gives you an emotional response, pause
The three most popular election stories on KNKX (so far)
Voters to decide some fundamental questions about future elections
Election day is here and Washingtonians are deciding some fundamental questions about future elections. King County is deciding whether to move their elections for countywide positions to even years, like this one, when more people tend to vote. King County councilmember Girmay Zahilay is a supporter of that measure.
"I think despite us having a very good election system, there is a desire to continue to expand who's able to vote. And it's putting voting systems themselves in the forefront of our political discourse in a way that they haven't been before," Zahilay told KNKX.
In Clark and San Juan counties, voters will decide whether or not they want to switch to ranked-choice voting, which would allow voters to pick a favorite candidate and then back-ups if that candidate doesn’t get enough votes. Seattle is also consideringranked-choice for its primary elections, alongside ‘approval voting,’ which simply asks voters to pick all candidates they approve of to go on to the general election.
Read or listen for more: Why the wave of voting reform measures in the Northwest?
There are more than 4.8M voters in Washington, but how many will vote?
There are 4.8 million active voters statewide, according to the Washington Secretary of State.
In the 2018 midterm elections, there were 4.3 million registered voters and the final voter turnout came in at 71.83%.
One day before the 2018 midterms the number of ballots returned was at 47%. This year it was at 38%, indicating turnout is lagging.
📊 Data fans can follow the Secretary of State's Ballot Return Statistics.
Washington: What to expect on election night
What to expect on election night in Washington state? A long wait.
If control of the U.S. House comes down to congressional races here, it could take days — or weeks — for the nation to know the outcome. Washington’s vote-by-mail system leads to some of the highest voter turnout in the nation, but is not a system that leads to fast results.
The top race in Washington, however, is between Democratic U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, who is seeking a sixth term against Republican Tiffany Smiley, a first-time candidate.
This explainer from The Associated Press covers which races have national implications, the dynamics of this Democratic-led and vote-by-mail state and how the AP calls a winner. Read more.