What do Democratic, Republican, and Independent Washington state voters think about the 2024 ballot?
Nov. 4, 2024
By: Scott Greenstone and Alex Rochester
After months of hearing from the candidates and the positions for and against initiatives, Washington state voters get to have their say in the November General Election. KUOW spoke with six Republicans, six Democrats, and six Independent voters from Bellingham down to Burien, and Bremerton across to Bellevue. We asked each of them the same questions to learn who they are, what matters to them, and how they have decided who and what to vote for.
How has Washington shaped their political beliefs?
Tap on each individual to learn how they see themselves within Washington’s political scene.
What do they want politicians to tackle?
Public safety was a top issue for the Independents and Republicans on KUOW's panels.
This echoes the latest quality of life survey, sponsored by the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, in which 41% of voters said public safety is Seattle’s biggest problem right now.
Democratic voters were more varied in their top concerns. They mentioned reproductive rights, crime, human rights, the environment, and money in politics.
Where do they stand on the four statewide initiatives on the ballot?
Georgene, a Republican delegate from Arlington, was a signature gatherer for the ballot initiatives, each backed by the group Let’s Go Washington, led by conservative hedge fund manager Brian Heywood. Georgene said she believes every one of the initiatives, “is a sign that government is too big... and the people have said, ‘Enough.’”
But not everyone is so convinced.
I-2124: "WA Cares" long-term care insurance
Slide the cursor back and forth to see how Mary and Ian see I-2124 differently.
RELATED: Should WA Cares be Optional? The case for No on I-2124
I-2217: Cap-and-trade repeal
Slide the cursor back and forth to learn how Sherwin and Elliott feel about repealing the state's cap-and-trade policies.
RELATED: Will Washington state do away with cap-and-trade? Voices for and against Initiative 2117
Who are they supporting for governor and president?
The Independent voters KUOW spoke with appeared unenthusiastic about both Democratic candidate Bob Ferguson and Republican candidate Dave Reichert.
Meanwhile, Republican voters unanimously supported Reichert. Roger from Mukilteo was impressed with Reichert’s record in Congress and many thought his time as King County sheriff makes him the most qualified to tackle their top issue of public safety.
Democrats were primarily supporting Bob Ferguson and Kamala Harris.
RELATED: Republicans shrug off anti-LGBT comments from top Washington governor candidate
How will they cope if the election doesn’t go their way?
Democrats and Republicans alike said they’d be disappointed but would keep fighting for change.
Eliav, a member of the centrist Forward party who lives in Burien, said regardless of the election results, his focus will be helping other states have an open primary system and ranked choice voting. That way, he believes, “we all get an opportunity to get moderate candidates who work for everyone.”
Georgene, a Republican from Arlington said she’d probably invite people over for a mourning party.
Liz, a Democrat in Bellingham, said she has friends who fled the country after Trump was elected in 2016, but she doesn’t want to do that.
A recent USA TODAY analysis found that states are becoming more entrenched in their political leanings, with some tempted to move to places that align more with their politics. But Sherwin, a Republican voter in Bellevue, said he doesn’t want to be stuck in an echo chamber.
Watch KUOW's highlight reel of all three voter panels below:
Credits
Story: Scott Greenstone and Alex Rochester
Design and graphics: Teo Popescu
Video and photos: Hans Twite and Alex Rochester
Editor: Liz Brazile
Product Manager: Lisa Wang
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