Over 60% of Clark County voters turned out for the Tuesday, Nov. 3 general election, which followed the national trend of Republican candidates being defeated by Democrats in a historic blue wave.
Washington's 3rd Congressional District was the hot ticket item for area voters. Riding the blue wave, Democrat incumbent Marie Gluesenkamp Perez earned her most decisive vote in her three elections. As of Sunday, Nov. 8, with 97% of the vote tallied, Gluesenkamp Perez led by 28,415 votes over Trump-backed Republican challenger John Braun.
The Associated Press called the key race with 53.62% of votes going Gluesenkamp Perez's way, compared to 45.46% of votes favoring Braun.
Nationwide, Democrats gained 42 seats over the Republicans in Congress, with Gluesenkamp Perez sustaining the key seat for Democrats. Democrats also gained seven Senate seats to control both the House and Senate in Washington, D.C.
In the Washington State Legislature, the 18th Legislative District, which is entirely in Clark County, turned blue based on unofficial results. Both Republican incumbents trail by wide margins as of Sunday, Nov. 8.
In the 18th District Position 1 race, Democrat Randi Knott holds a 3,400-vote lead with 52.25% of the vote over Republican incumbent Stephanie McClintock receiving 47.58% of the vote.
In the 18th District Position 2 race, Democrat Deken Letinich leads by over 5,400 votes with 53.64% of the vote over Republican incumbent John Ley with 46.14% of the vote.
In the 17th District, the same story unfolded for Republican incumbents, although the margins were greater.
In the 17th District Position 1 race, Democrat Ben Christly holds a roughly 7,800 vote lead with 55.17% of the vote over Republican incumbent Kevin Waters with 44.65% of the vote.
In the 17th District Position 2 race, Democrat Diana H. Perez led by roughly 7,900 votes with 55.25% of the votes over Republican incumbent David Stuebe with 44.5% of the vote.
Democrats won both state House races in the 49th Legislative District, which primarily includes Vancouver.
Kim Harless won Position 1 with 69.32% of the vote, defeating Republican Sarah Mittelman, who received 30.40%.
Monica Jurado Stonier won Position 2 with 71.32%, defeating Republican Derek Thompson, who received 28.41%.
Washington’s 20th Legislative District stood out as a Republican holdout in the Nov. 3 general election, with Republican incumbents Peter Abbarno and Ed Orcutt winning reelection to the state House.
Rep. Peter Abbarno won reelection to Position 1 with 65.46% of the vote, defeating Democrat Andy Zahn, who received 34.29%.
In Position 2, incumbent Rep. Ed Orcutt secured another term with 62.75% of the vote over Democrat Evan Jones, who received 37.05%.
Local Clark County races
Having larger impacts on local races, the Clark County Elections Office reported thousands of undervotes in countless races where the total number of undervotes could have made a difference in the result if voters fully filled out their ballots.
In county office races, incumbent Peter Van Nortwick leads the assessor's race with 70.52% of the vote over Tyler Thoune, who received 29.48%.
Mitchell Kelly defeated Eileen Quiring O'Brien in the county auditor's race, receiving 55.77% to O'Brien's 44.23%. Scott Weber leads the county clerk's race with 59.60% over Rachel Shapiro, who received 40.40%.
Glen Yung leads the District 1 County Council seat with 63.21% over Bryan Shull, who received 36.79%. Michelle Belkot leads District 2 by a little over 1,847 votes with 52.27% over John Zingale, who received 47.73%.
Troy McCoy narrowly leads the District 5 council seat by roughly 1,500 votes with 51.53% over Peter Silliman, who received 48.47%.
Laurel Smith, Sheriff John Horch and Treasurer Alishia Topper each ran unopposed.
The county reported 233,869 ballots counted out of 363,192 registered voters, representing a 64.39% turnout rate. Results were unofficial as of the Nov. 6 report, with certification scheduled for Nov. 24.
Clark County voters approve charter amendments, reject public safety measures
Clark County voters favored most proposed changes to the county charter but rejected a multimillion-dollar public safety bond and a companion property tax increase in the Nov. 3 general election.
Unofficial results from the Clark County Elections Office, released Nov. 6, show voters approved eight of nine proposed charter amendments. A $366.2 million bond measure received a narrow majority of votes but fell short of the 60% approval threshold required for passage.
County Proposition No. 12, which would have funded public safety and criminal justice infrastructure, received 109,798 votes in favor, or 50.96%, compared to 105,642 votes against, or 49.04%. The bond would have funded improvements to the Clark County Jail, additional courtrooms and a new or remodeled sheriff's office headquarters.
Voters also rejected County Proposition No. 13, a levy lid lift intended to fund additional public safety and criminal justice personnel. The measure received 99,133 votes in favor, or 46.11%, while 115,837 voters, or 53.89%, opposed it.
The proposed levy would have increased the county's regular property tax levy to $1.15 per $1,000 of assessed value in 2027, an increase of approximately 44 cents from 2026. Funding would have supported additional correction deputies, sheriff's deputies, prosecuting attorney staff and other criminal justice services.
Among the charter amendments, voters most strongly supported Amendment No. 23, which received 87.27% approval. The amendment requires the county manager to publish an annual report on county finances and government affairs.
Amendment No. 19, concerning term limits for County Council members, received 82.82% approval. The proposal limits councilors to three consecutive terms, with eligibility restored after spending one full term out of office.
Other approved amendments included revised budget transparency procedures (73.49%), expanded County Council authority over boards and commissions (68.31%), required housing impact analyses (66.01%), a two-thirds council vote for certain new or increased county taxes (62.66%), legislative branch performance audits (62.58%) and clarification of nonpartisan county elections (61.51%).
Amendment No. 26, which would have changed the county's initiative and referendum process, was the only proposal rejected. It received 41.81% approval, while 58.19% voted against it.
Voters approve one statewide initiative, reject two others
Washington voters approved one of three statewide initiatives on the Nov. 3 ballot, backing a proposal restricting transgender participation in girls’ school sports while rejecting measures concerning the state income tax and parental rights.
Unofficial results reported Nov. 6 show Initiative 638 passed with 56.01% support, receiving 1,648,970 votes in favor and 1,295,353 against.
The measure establishes restrictions on participation in girls’ school sports based on biological sex and requires verification through biological factors. Supporters said it protects fairness in girls’ athletics, while opponents raised concerns about discrimination against transgender students.
Another blue state, Colorado, passed a similar measure to restrict transgender participation in girls school sports.
Initiative 645 was rejected with 58.01% voting against it. The proposal sought to repeal Washington’s 9.9% tax on annual income exceeding $1 million and prohibit future individual income taxes.
Voters also rejected Initiative IL26-001, with 52.52% opposed. The measure sought to restore portions of the 2024 Washington Declaration of Parental and Legal Guardian Rights, including provisions involving access to student records, parental notification of certain school-provided medical services and opting students out of sexual health education.
Initiative IL26-001 received 47.48% support, while Initiative 645 received 41.99%.
For full and updated results, visit results.votewa.gov/results/public/washington/elections/20261103.
