WA voters to decide on constitutional amendment, legislative races on Election Day

(The Center Square) – Washington state voters will decide many things on Election Day – Tuesday – including whether to amend the state constitution to allow funds from a long-term care insurance program to be invested in the stock market, several legislative races that could be a barometer for how voters feel about this year’s legislative session, and a slew of county, mayoral and other municipal races across the state.

Senate Joint Resolution 8201

Senate Joint Resolution 8201 is a proposed constitutional amendment to allow the WA Cares Fund, created by the state Legislature in 2019, to be invested in a broader range of assets, including stocks. Taxpayers fund the program via a 0.58% payroll tax, which began in July 2023.

The program will begin paying benefits in 2026 to eligible residents who require assistance with the activities of daily living. The full benefit is $36,500 in 2026 and is set to be adjusted for inflation annually. The fund has a current balance of approximately $2.5 billion.

The state constitution currently restricts most public funds from being invested in private stocks or equities.

SJR 8201 supporters argue that investing in the stock market could yield higher returns, thereby helping to sustain the WA Cares Fund.

Opponents argue that private investments offer no guarantees and that market volatility could shrink the fund, resulting in reduced benefits or higher taxes.

A recent poll conducted for the Northwest Progressive Institute by Emerson College Polling found that passage of SJR 8201 is not assured, with 47% of 600 likely voters indicating they will vote to approve the measure, 33% stating they will vote no, and 21% saying they are unsure.

Voters rejected a similar ballot measure in 2020 by a margin of 54% to 46%.

Legislative races

Across the state, several competitive legislative races could indicate how voters feel about the decision to raise taxes and pass several contentious pieces of legislation this past session, including a rent cap law, requiring clergy to report child abuse, mandating a five-year permit for gun buyers, and a rewrite of the parents’ bill of rights initiative passed by lawmakers in 2024.

In the purple 26th Legislative District, covering parts of Pierce and Kitsap counties, Democratic Sen. Deb Krishnadasan is campaigning to retain the seat against Republican challenger state Rep. Michelle Caldier.

Meanwhile, in the 5th Legislative District in east King County, former state lawmaker Chad Magendanz is looking to unseat Democratic Sen. Victoria Hunt. She was appointed after the unexpected passing of Sen. Ramos in April. Hunt, who was serving in the House of Representatives before moving to the Senate, won the August primary by a comfortable margin.

The outcomes of these and other state legislative races could, at best, slightly skew the balance of power in the Legislature, where Democrats hold large majorities in both chambers heading into 2026.

King County and Seattle

In King County, the most populous in the state, voters will decide who will be the next county executive. Shannon Braddock was appointed to the position on April 1, following the resignation of Down Constantine, who had held the seat for 15 years to become CEO of Sound Transit.

Seven candidates were whittled down to two in the primary: Claudia Balducci and Girmay Zahilay, both of whom currently serve on the King County Council.

Zahilay bested Balducci in the primary, earning 44% of the vote to Balducci’s nearly 30%.

Balducci has worked as a lawyer for the Northwest Women’s Law Center, served as the director of King County’s Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention, and was a member of the Bellevue City Council and the King County Council for more than a decade each. Additionally, she was the mayor of Bellevue for two years.

Zahilay worked in corporate law and at the Barack Obama White House before serving on the King County Council for the last six years.

According to a recent Civic Heartbeat survey commissioned by the Northwest Progressive Institute, Balducci holds a 2-percentage-point lead over Zahilay in a contest that is effectively considered a tie due to the narrow margin and large number of undecided voters.

Many eyes are also on the Seattle mayoral race to see if incumbent Bruce Harrell can hold onto his seat against progressive challenger Katie Wilson.

Wilson – co-founder and executive director of the Transit Riders Union, an advocacy group focused on public transit, as well as issues like affordable housing and stronger renter protections – received approximately 50.5% of the vote in the primary to Harrell’s 44.5%.

Both campaigns have primarily focused on public safety and homelessness, with Harrell focusing on his track record and a more moderate approach, while challenger Wilson has centered her campaign on harm reduction, civilian-led crisis response, and a more progressive platform.

The candidates have debated the role of police, solutions for homelessness, and overall public safety.

Election Day

To count, ballots in Washington – a vote-by-mail state – must be postmarked or returned to a drop box or voting center by 8 p.m., when polls close, on Election Day.