Washington 2020 ballot measures
- 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[1]
- Absentee/mail voting deadline(s): Nov. 3 (received)
- Processing, counting, and challenging absentee/mail-in ballots
- Voter ID: No ID
- Poll times: Varies locally[1]
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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.
On the ballot
Type | Number | Subject | Description | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
VR | Referendum 90 | Education | Repeals Senate Bill 5395 (2020) regarding sexual health education in public schools | |
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 | |
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 | |
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 | |
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 | |
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 |
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.[2] 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.[2]
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
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 | |||||||||
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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.[3]
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
- Elections in Washington
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- Public policy in Washington
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- More...
Local ballot measures
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 |
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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
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Washington is a vote-by-mail state. Early voting dates and polling hours apply to county-level vote centers where individuals can instead vote in person.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Washington Secretary of State, "Proposed Initiatives to the Legislature - 2019," accessed May 1, 2019
- ↑ The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
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