Voters in Washington will participate in a prominent election that includes races for president, governor, U.S. Senate, and the U.S. House, along with various state and local offices and measures on the ballot. Given that the state primarily utilizes mail-in voting, a majority of ballots will be cast well before Election Day.

Historically, Washington leans Democrat, with the last Republican to win the state in a presidential race being Ronald Reagan in 1984. That election coincided with the conclusion of Gov. John Spellman’s term, marking the end of Republican leadership in the governor’s office in Washington.

In the race for the presidency, Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris is competing against former Republican President Donald Trump for the state’s 12 electoral votes. Meanwhile, Democratic U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell is seeking re-election for a fifth term, facing Republican challenger Raul Garcia. Cantwell performed strongly in the August nonpartisan primary, leading by a substantial margin, as all candidates ran on the same ballot, irrespective of party affiliation, with the top two proceeding to the general election in November.

Cantwell, who has been serving since her first election in 2000—when she won against three-term incumbent Slade Gorton, the last Republican senator from Washington—is optimistic about her campaign. In the governor’s race, Democrat Bob Ferguson and Republican Dave Reichert are vying to succeed outgoing Democratic Governor Jay Inslee.

Washington predominantly employs mail-in ballots, mailing them to registered voters at least 45 days prior to Election Day. With only limited in-person voting options available for those requiring assistance, results from mail-in ballots are not tabulated until the polls close on election night.

It’s important to note that projections on races are not made until it is clear that no remaining scenarios could allow trailing candidates to catch up. If a race is still undecided, newsworthy updates such as candidate concessions or victory statements will be reported, clarifying that no winner has been declared and providing reasoning.

As for important details regarding the upcoming elections in Washington:

Election Day is set for November 5, with polling hours concluding at 11 p.m. ET. There are 12 presidential electoral votes assigned to the statewide victor. Key races include:
– President: Harris (D) vs. Trump (R) vs. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (We the People) vs. Jill Stein (Green) vs. Chase Oliver (Libertarian) vs. Cornel West (Justice for All) and additional candidates.
– U.S. Senate: Cantwell (D) vs. Garcia (R).
– Governor: Ferguson (D) vs. Reichert (R).
– 3rd Congressional District: Incumbent Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D) faces Joe Kent (R).

Other significant races include those for the U.S. House, state Senate and House, lieutenant governor, attorney general, auditor, insurance commissioner, lands commissioner, secretary of state, treasurer, Court of Appeals, and the superintendent of education.

In previous presidential elections, the results varied significantly, with the 2020 outcome showing Biden (D) receiving 58% of the vote against Trump (R) with 39%. The announcement was made promptly on November 3, 2020, at 11 p.m. ET.

Currently, there are 5,478,504 registered voters in Washington as of October 1, 2024. Voter turnout in the 2020 presidential election reached 77% of registered voters. In the 2020 and 2022 elections, nearly all votes were cast by mail, and for the upcoming election, updates on pre-Election Day voting can be anticipated.

Regarding the vote counting process, the first votes were reported on November 3, 2020, at 11:13 p.m. ET, with 81% of total votes cast reported by midnight ET.

These elections represent significant opportunities for Washington voters to make their voices heard and influence the direction of local and national governance.