Washington 2020 ballot measures

Elections in Washington, 2020

• Election date: Nov. 3
• Registration deadline(s): Nov. 3 (in person); Oct. 26 (online; by mail)
• Online registration: Yes
• Same-day registration: Yes
• Recount laws

• Early voting starts: Oct. 16
• Absentee/mail voting deadline(s): Nov. 3 (received)
• Processing, counting, and challenging absentee/mail-in ballots
• Voter ID: No ID
• Poll times: Varies locally

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2020 Washington Ballot Measures
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2020 U.S. state ballot measures
2021 » « 2019
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Six statewide ballot measures were certified to appear on the Washington ballot on November 3, 2020, including two binding statewide ballot measures and four non-binding advisory votes. All were rejected except the veto referendum where voters decided to uphold the law being challenged.

HIGHLIGHTS

Opponents of a comprehensive sexual health education bill (Senate Bill 5395) collected signatures to place the bill on the 2020 ballot as Referendum 90 for voter approval or rejection. Voters approved the referendum, thereby upholding the law.

The state legislature referred a constitutional amendment to the 2020 ballot that would have allowed funds in the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Account and the Long-Term Care Services and Supports Trust Account to be invested as provided by law.

The 2020 election was the first presidential election year since 1928 in which the Washington ballot did not feature an Initiative to the People (ITP).

Four nonbinding advisory vote questions were on the ballot and were all rejected.

A total of 60 measures appeared on the statewide ballot in Washington during even years between 2000 and 2018. Of the total, 58% (35) were approved and 42% (25) were defeated.

On the ballot

Type	Number	Subject	Description	Result
VR	Referendum 90	Education	Repeals Senate Bill 5395 (2020) regarding sexual health education in public schools	a
AQ	Advisory Vote 32	Taxes	Advises legislature to either repeal or maintain Senate Bill 5323, which was designed to levy a retail sales tax on certain carryout bags	d
AQ	Advisory Vote 33	Taxes	Advises legislature to either repeal or maintain Senate Bill 5628, which was designed to levy a tax on heavy equipment rentals	d
AQ	Advisory Vote 34	Taxes	Advises legislature to either repeal or maintain Senate Bill 6492, which was designed to increase the business and occupation tax rate and reduce certain surcharges	d
AQ	Advisory Vote 35	Taxes	Advises legislature to either repeal or maintain Senate Bill 6690, which was designed to increase the business and occupation tax on commercial airplane manufacturers	d
LRCA	Senate Joint Resolution 8212	State and local government budgets, spending and finance	Allows funds in the Long-Term Care Services and Supports Trust Account to be invested	d

Getting measures on the ballot

Citizens of Washington may initiate legislation as either a direct state statute— called Initiative to the People (ITP) in Washington— or indirect state statute— called Initiative to the Legislature (ITL) in Washington. In Washington, citizens also have the power to repeal legislation via veto referendum. Citizens may not initiate constitutional amendments. The Washington State Legislature, however, may place legislatively referred constitutional amendments on the ballot with a two-thirds (66.67%) vote in each chamber.

The last day to submit signatures for Initiatives to the 2020 Legislature was January 3, 2020, by 5:00 p.m. local time. A total of 259,622 valid signatures were required to certify an Initiative to the Legislature. No signatures for ITLs were submitted.

For Initiatives to the People, a total of 259,622 valid signatures were required to qualify for the ballot. The last day to submit signatures for Initiatives to the People was July 2, 2020.

For veto referendums, the number of required valid signatures is 129,811. For referendums, signatures must be filed with the secretary of state within 90 days after the adjournment of the legislative session at which the targeted legislation was passed.

The Washington Legislature may refer measures to the ballot during its 2020 legislative session.

Referral of 2020 constitutional amendment

The following table illustrates the vote requirements for the constitutional amendment certified for the ballot, the votes the amendment received, and how Democrats and Republicans voted on the amendment in each legislative chamber:

No measures to list

Historical facts

See also: List of Washington ballot measures and History of Initiative & Referendum in Washington

All years:

• A total of 121 measures appeared on the statewide ballot in Washington through all years (even and odd) from the 20-year period between 1999 and 2019.
• From 1999 to 2019, the number of measures on the statewide ballot ranged from two to 15.
• Between 1999 and 2019, 57% (69) of the total number of measures that appeared on the statewide ballot were approved, and 43% (52) were defeated.
• Between 1999 and 2019, an average of six measures appeared on the ballot in Washington each year.

Even years:

• A total of 60 measures appeared on the statewide ballot in Washington during even years from the 18-year period between 2000 and 2018. 58% (35) were approved and 42% (25) were defeated.

Odd years:

• A total of 61 measures appeared on the statewide ballot in Washington during odd years from the 20-year period between 1999 and 2019. 56% (34) were approved and 44% (27) were defeated.

Washington statewide ballot measures, 1999-2019
Years	Total number	Approved	Percent approved	Defeated	Percent defeated	Annual average	Annual median	Annual minimum	Annual maximum
Even years	60	35	58.33%	25	41.67%	6.00	5	3	9
Odd years	61	34	55.74%	27	44.26%	5.55	5	2	15
All years	121	69	57.02%	52	42.98%	5.76	5	2	15

State profile

Demographic data for Washington
	Washington	U.S.
Total population:	7,160,290	316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):	66,456	3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:	77.8%	73.6%
Black/African American:	3.6%	12.6%
Asian:	7.7%	5.1%
Native American:	1.3%	0.8%
Pacific Islander:	0.6%	0.2%
Two or more:	5.2%	3%
Hispanic/Latino:	12%	17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:	90.4%	86.7%
College graduation rate:	32.9%	29.8%
Income
Median household income:	$61,062	$53,889
Persons below poverty level:	14.4%	11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Washington. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

Presidential voting pattern

See also: Presidential voting trends in Washington

Washington voted for the Democratic candidate in all six presidential elections between 2000 and 2020.

Pivot Counties (2016)

Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, five are located in Washington, accounting for 2.43 percent of the total pivot counties.

Pivot Counties (2020)

In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. Washington had four Retained Pivot Counties and one Boomerang Pivot County, accounting for 2.21 and 4.00 percent of all Retained and Boomerang Pivot Counties, respectively.

More Washington coverage on Ballotpedia

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• More...

Local ballot measures

See also: November 3, 2020 ballot measures in Washington

In 2020, Ballotpedia covered local measures that appeared on the ballot for voters within the top 100 largest cities in the U.S. and a selection of notable police-related and election-related measures outside of the top 100 largest cities. Ballotpedia also covered all local measures in California and all statewide ballot measures. Click here to see the scope of Ballotpedia local ballot measure coverage by year.

Click here for more information about local ballot measures on the November 2020 ballot in Washington.

Not on the ballot

Type	Number	Subject	Description	Sponsor	Status
ITL	Initiative 1025	Education and Taxes	Creates a capital gains tax to fund education	Andrew Villeneuve
ITL	Initiative 1016	Healthcare	Creates the Whole Washington Health Trust "to ensure all Washington residents can enroll in nonprofit health insurance coverage providing an essential set of health benefits" funded through premiums, and taxes on employers, wages, and capital gains	Georgia Davenport of Whole Washington
ITL	Initiative 1004	Abortion	Requires physicians to notify parents before performing abortions on minors with exceptions	Parents & Students Protecting Minors
ITL	Initiative 1082	Taxes and Direct democracy	Requires tax increases to expire after one year unless approved by voters	Tim Eyman
ITL	Initiative 1007 and 1015	Taxes	Concerns state and local property taxes	Tim Eyman
ITL	Initiative 1009	Taxes	Prohibits state or local sales and use tax rates from increasing higher than the rates are on the effective date of the measure	Tim Eyman
ITL	Initiative 1010	Transportation	Repeals the state's authority to impose tolls on Interstate 405 and State Route 167	Tim Eyman
ITL	Initiative 1011	Taxes	Prohibits the state's estate tax from being imposed on the estates of people who die on or after December 3, 2020	Tim Eyman
ITL	Multiple	Affirmative action	Concerns preferential treatment, discrimination, and affirmative action policy	Tim Eyman
ITL	Multiple	Affirmative action	Concerns preferential treatment, discrimination, and affirmative action policy	April Featherkile
ITL	Initiative 1083, 1091	Marijuana	Prohibits the cultivation, processing, and sales of marijuana in areas zoned as residential	Regis Costello
ITL	Initiative 1092	Elections	Sets one standard filing fee for all candidates seeking any state or local office	Charles Eakins
ITL	Initiative 1093	Firearms	Allows concealed carry of firearms without a permit unless prohibted by federal or state law	Charles Eakins
ITL	Initiative 1094	Firearms	Repeals some of the restrictions on firearm purchases implemented by I-1639 of 2018	John Valle
ITL	Initiative 1095	Taxes and Environment	Creates a 3% tax on insurance premiums related to property and/or casualty insurance policies to fund the Wildfire Prevention and Preparedness Fund	Greg Wong
ITL	Initiative 1096	Education	Prohibits physical restraint and seclusion as punishment for children in schools	Richard Pope
VR	Referendum 91	Education	Repeals Senate Bill 5395 (2020) regarding sexual health education in public schools	Matthew C. Marshall
ITP	Multiple versions	Property taxes	Reduces property tax rates	Michael McKee of Restore Washington
ITP	Initiatives 1672-1675	Firearms	Concerns legal rights related to the ownership of firearms	Larry Jensen
ITP	Multiple versions	Education	Prohibits physical restraint and seclusion as punishment for children in schools	Richard Pope
ITP	Initiative 1678	Food and agriculture and Transportation	Directs the Washington DoT to enact a stewardship plan to create vegetable gardens under and around highways and bridges	Regis Costello
ITP	Initiative 1679, 1680, 1693	Taxes	Prohibits the state or local governments from enacting taxes on income	Tim Eyman
ITP	Initiative 1681	Education	Requires visual and performing arts classes in public schools; removes option to waive second visual and performing arts credit except for special education accommodations	James Andrews
ITP	Initiative 1682 and 1686	Marijuana	Prohibits the cultivation, processing, and sales of marijuana in areas zoned as residential	Regis Costello
ITP	Initiative 1685	Term limits	Creates term limits for state elected officials	Matthew Marshall
ITP	Initiative 1687	State executive official measures	Ends Washington state patrol security and protection for the governor and their family, the lieutenant governor, and the governor-elect; requires that any security must not be paid for with tax revenue	Charles Eakins
ITP	Initiative 1688	Firearms	Allows anyone who is not prohibited from doing so by state or federal law to carry a concealed firearm	Charles Eakins
ITP	Initiative 1689	Education	Changes special education funding requirements	Richard Pope
ITP	Initiative 1691, 1695	Property taxes	Values properties at a percentage of a property's "true and fair value" for state property taxes	Michael McKee of Restore Washington
ITP	Initiative 1698	Abortion	Bans abortion after a fetal heartbeat can be detected	Carolyn Crain
ITP	Initiative 1699	Taxes and Transportation	Prohibits using information related to the movement/travel of individuals/vehicles to calculate state taxes or fees	Michael McKee of Restore Washington
ITP	Initiative 1701, 1702	Taxes	Requires Legislature to amend tax code so that households earning $600,000 per year or more pay the same percentage of their income in taxes as middle and low-income households (as defined)	Ruth Ann Lipscomb
ITP	Initiative 1703	State legislatures measures	Bans bills that have only a title or intent section; creates waiting periods before a bill is voted on; requires 72-hours notice before a public hearing on a bill	Michael McKee of Restore Washington
ITP	Initiative 1704, 1705	Forests and parks and Environment	Creates a surcharge on insurers to create and fund the Wildfire Prevention and Preparedness Fund	Charles Cates
ITP	Initiative 1708	Law enforcement and State judiciary	Requires state judges to report suspected child abuse if they witness or receive reports alleging child abuse	Albert Coburn
ITP	Initiative 1709	Transportation and Taxes	Limits annual license fees for vehicles weighing under 10,000 pounds at $30	Michael McKee of Restore Washington
ITP	Initiative 1710	Gambling	Legalizes sports betting at card rooms regulated by the Washington State Gambling Commission	Larry Jensen
ITP	Multiple versions	Education	Repeals Senate Bill 5395 (2020) regarding sexual education in public schools	Larry Jensen
ITP	Initiative 1712, 1714	Taxes	Prohibits carbon taxes, cap and trade emissions trading programs, and "low carbon fuel standards"	Larry Jensen
ITP	Initiative 1715	Healthcare	Expands substance use disorder treatment using marijuana tax revenue	Peter Danelo
ITP	Multiple Versions	Healthcare, Affirmative action	Requires the state to provide vaccinations (for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases) to all at no cost and to publicize infectious disease data 60 days after a public health emergency ends; allows the state to implement affirmative action policies	Lora-Ellen McKinney, Amanuel Mamo

See also

• 2020 ballot measures
• List of Washington ballot measures
• Laws governing the initiative process in Washington
• History of Initiative & Referendum in Washington

External links

• Washington Secretary of State - Initiatives & Referenda