Election night returns from Washington state indicate that Democrats are on track to secure a two-thirds supermajority in the state House of Representatives. Following a series of wins in districts previously held by Republicans, the party appears poised to expand its legislative influence significantly as the remaining mail-in ballots are counted.
By potentially reaching the two-thirds threshold in the House, Democrats would gain the ability to advance amendments to the Washington State Constitution without requiring Republican support. While the Senate remains short of that specific margin, the party has nonetheless strengthened its position across the state legislature. Under Article XXIII of the state constitution, a two-thirds vote in both chambers is required to propose a constitutional amendment, which must then be approved by a simple majority of voters. With Governor Bob Ferguson in office, Democrats now hold a full trifecta of political power.
Shifting Margins in Key Districts
Democratic gains were particularly notable in districts that have historically leaned Republican. Perez defeating incumbents Kevin Waters and David Stuebe in the 17th, and Randi L. Knott and Deken Letinich unseating incumbents Stephanie McClintock and John Ley in the 18th. Legislative District 14 in the Yakima Valley also saw a shift, with Chelsea Dimas and Ezequiel Morfin unseating incumbents Gloria Mendoza and Deb Manjarrez. These results reflect Democratic gains in suburban and swing districts across the state.
In Kitsap County, the 26th Legislative District appears to be shifting toward the Democratic party. Renee Hernandez Greenfield holds a lead of nearly 10 points over Republican Katy Cornell, who had sought to succeed retiring Rep. Michelle Caldier. Meanwhile, in the 25th Legislative District, school board director David Berg leads incumbent Republican Rep. Michael Keaton by 1.6 points. The 25th district is the final area in the Seattle-Tacoma metropolitan region held by the GOP, where Rep. Cyndy Jacobsen is currently defending a narrow lead of 109 votes against challenger Jenn Marie Strickling.
Further east, the 12th Legislative District shows Democrat Stacy Willoughby leading incumbent Republican Rep. Brian Burnett by three points. In the 39th, Democrat Ida Keeley trails Republican Steve Ewing by 282 votes, a narrow margin in a district where Democrats failed to even field a candidate in 2024. Washington State Republican Party Chairman Rep. Jim Walsh noted on X that the party expects to win in the 12th, 14th, 18th, and 26th legislative districts.
Based on the modeled profiles of ballots received but not yet counted, WAGOP expects to grind out wins in LDs 12, 14, 18, and possibly 26. The Left will not have a supermajority in Olympia.
— Jim Walsh (@JimWalshWA) November 4, 2026
Voters Reject Measure as Party Chair Credits Early Voting Investments
Washington State Democratic Party Chair Shasti Conrad attributed the results to years of investment in early voting and organizing, stating, Washington voters turned out in large numbers to reject the chaos and corruption coming out of the other Washington and are rewarding the policies and policy makers of this Washington.
The measure was rejected by voters, with early counts showing it at approximately 42% support. Efforts to replace incumbent Democrats with more progressive challengers also produced mixed results; in the 48th Legislative District, Redmond Councilmember Jessica Forsythe leads incumbent Rep. Amy Walen, while in the 29th, Rep. Melanie Morgan trails challenger Krista Perez.
The state Supreme Court races also saw significant activity, with conservative-backed candidates seeking to challenge the current court’s composition. As of election night, Ian Birk trails Republican-backed Sean O’Donnell by two points, leaving the final outcome of that seat dependent on the ongoing ballot count. Voters appear to have rejected Initiative Measure 1, which addressed school policies regarding students and their parents, though Initiative Measure 638, concerning school athletics for trans girls, is currently leading with 56% of the vote. In the 1st Legislative District, incumbent Democrat Davina Duerr secured 32,579 votes, or 73.6% of the total.
With roughly half of the ballots in the state’s all-mail election system counted, the final composition of the House will remain in flux until election officials process the remaining votes. This shift follows the 2024 election, where Democrats surpassed 60% in both chambers.
