Washington held its general election on November 2, 2010, deciding 122 legislative seats. No chamber changed party control.
Highlights
- Democrats kept the trifecta, but Senate Republicans won back four suburban seats, cutting the majority to 27-22. Facing an estimated $5.7 billion budget gap, Republicans needed only three Democratic votes to pass or block a bill, as Senate Minority Leader Mike Hewitt pointed out.
- Voters set the terms for that budget. They rejected Initiative 1098, an income tax on high earners, by about 28 points, carrying only San Juan County, despite William H. Gates Sr. serving as its public face. They approved Tim Eyman's Initiative 1053, which effectively froze revenue for two years by requiring a two-thirds legislative vote or a public vote for tax increases. Initiative 1107, backed almost entirely by the American Beverage Association, repealed the Legislature's new taxes on candy, soda and bottled water.
- The four Senate pickups:
- Michael Baumgartner (R) beat Chris Marr (D) in Senate District 6 by about 4,700 votes, ending a record-breaking million-dollar battle in Spokane County.
- Joe Fain (R) unseated Claudia Kauffman (D) in Senate District 47, and Andy Hill (R) edged Eric Oemig (D) in Senate District 45.
- In a special election, Steve Litzow (R) unseated Randy Gordon (D) in Senate District 41 by fewer than 200 votes.
- In the House, Republicans ousted four Democratic incumbents and took an open Vancouver-area seat, won by Paul Harris (R):
- John E. Ahern (R) beat Rep. John F. Driscoll (D) in House District 6.
- Mark Hargrove (R) beat Rep. Geoff Simpson (D) in House District 47.
- Hans Zeiger (R) beat Rep. Dawn Morrell (D) by fewer than 50 votes in House District 25, and Vincent Buys (R) beat Rep. Kelli Linville (D) by about 150 in House District 42; both races went to recounts.
- Voters approved 4 of the 9 measures. Two constitutional amendments passed: HJR 4220, widening judges' power to deny bail, and SJR 8225, on the debt-limit calculation. Voters also rejected:
- Two liquor-privatization initiatives, Costco-financed Initiative 1100 and Initiative 1105.
- Initiative 1082, which would have let private insurers sell workers' compensation coverage.
- Referendum 52, a $500 million school energy-retrofit bond.
Legislature
- House (98 seats): 61 D, 37 R before the election, 56 D, 42 R after; control stayed with Democrats.
- Senate (49 seats): 31 D, 18 R before the election, 27 D, 22 R after; control stayed with Democrats.
Legislative races
Ballot measures
| Measure | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|
| HJR 4220 | Give judges authority to deny bail whenever they deem the public at risk | Passed (85% yes) |
| Initiative 1053 | Require a supermajority vote of the legislature or a statewide vote for tax increases | Passed (63.75% yes) |
| Initiative 1082 | Authorize employers to purchase private industrial insurance | Failed (41% yes) |
| Initiative 1098 | Establish a tax on adjusted gross income above $200,000 for individuals and $400,000 for filing jointly and reduces the limit on statewide property taxes by 20% and increased the business and occupation tax credit to $4,800 | Failed (36% yes) |
| Initiative 1100 | Close state liquor stores and authorizes sale, distribution and importation by private parties | Failed (47% yes) |
| Initiative 1105 | Close all state liquor stores and licenses private parties to sell or distribute spirits | Failed (35% yes) |
| Initiative 1107 | Reduce tax rates for certain food processors, ends the sales tax on candy and ends the temporary sales tax on some bottled water and temporary excise taxes on carbonated beverages | Passed (60% yes) |
| Referendum 52 | Authorize $500 million bond for construction and repair projects increasing energy efficiency in public schools and higher education buildings | Failed (46% yes) |
| SJR 8225 | Require the state to reduce the interest accounted for in calculating the constitutional debt limit | Passed (52% yes) |