Washington State leaders are pursuing democracy and elections upgrades that would improve representation across the broad array of Washington communities, boost voter turnout for races large and small, streamline administrative processes for running elections, and offer more diverse candidate choices to advance the priorities of everyday Washingtonians.
The legislature has considered many of these issues in previous years, including Sightline’s priorities of ranked choice voting and moving to even-year elections. This year, they might finally become law.
Smoothing the path for local governments wanting to adopt ranked choice voting
Washington state law prevents local jurisdictions from changing their election code.1 This restriction means that they can’t use methods like ranked choice voting, if they wish to do so, or that they’re very constrained in its application.
Yet cities and other districts are pursuing ranked choice voting anyway. Seattle voters adopted it in 2022, for first use in the city’s primary election in 2027—a workaround of the state law that requires top-two general elections. Multiple districts (such as plaintiffs in Yakima County) have requested ranked choice voting as a remedy for voting rights violations under the Washington Voting Rights Act, which the Washington State Supreme Court affirmed as an option in the June 2023 decision Portugal v. Franklin County. Other places are looking to charter commissions or other pathways for adopting the voting method.
Ranked choice voting is coming to Washington regardless of additional legislation. Why? Because voters want it, along with the bevy of benefits they see it delivering elsewhere, including less negative campaigns, more focus on the issues, and the neutralization of the “spoiler effect.”
The state legislature has an important opportunity to serve Washington voters by helping local jurisdictions wanting to make the ranked choice switch to do so smoothly. HB 1448, the Washington VOICES (Voting Options, Implementation, Compliance, Education, and Standards) Act, sponsored by Rep. Gregerson, would clarify state law to provide local governments a clear path to adopt ranked choice voting (again, only if they wish to do so; the bill does not require adoption anywhere) and set guidelines for implementing and educating voters about the reform. The legislation would improve efficiency and consistency for local election administrators while ensuring that voters can access this improved election method to make their voices heard.
Boosting voter turnout by allowing local elections in high-turnout years
State law in Washington currently requires cities and towns to hold their regularly scheduled elections for local offices, such as mayor and city council, in odd-numbered years, when voter turnout rarely rises above 40 percent. Turnout in even-numbered years, in contrast, is often double that of odd-numbered years, including for local races. What’s more, national studies have shown that voters tend to be better represented by leaders elected in even years.
HB 1339, sponsored by Rep. Gregerson, would amend the state’s election code to allow cities and towns to hold regular elections in even years if they choose, rather than just benefiting from high turnout in even-year special elections like Seattle’s recent council race. This change creates the option for more local governments to follow the example of King County, whose voters approved a switch to even-year elections in November 2022. Voters in the state’s largest county will soon enjoy fewer campaign cycles to track and leaders who have won support from more of their constituents.
This bill would go a long way toward ensuring that local electeds share residents’ values and priorities when making decisions that impact everyday life in their communities.
Protecting voting rights and increasing language justice resources for elections
While Sightline hasn’t done in-depth research on these topics, other democracy-focused allies are advancing additional priorities in the 2025 legislative session.
- SB 5077 would expand automatic voter registration through the Health Benefit Exchange and Department of Corrections, and HB 1916 protects against challenges to voter registration.
- HB 1196 would ensure that Washington citizens can vote even when incarcerated by revoking voting rights only for crimes punishable by death, and HB 1147 supports public engagement of people who are incarcerated.
- HB 1381 would increase county language assistance during elections.
- HB 1710 and HB 1750 would modify the state’s voting rights act, adding (respectively) a preclearance requirement and guidelines for assessing voter suppression.
- HB 1116 recognizes election day as a state holiday.
These measures (among others) would help Washington move towards a democracy that values and reflects all people and all votes.
Elections and voting systems that work well for voters and encourage participation ensure that elected leaders share the public’s priorities and will work toward relevant solutions on issues from pollution to healthcare, housing affordability to potholes, education to good jobs. State legislators have several opportunities this legislative session to improve Washington’s elections—and in turn, to better serve people across the Evergreen State.
