Dicks (D), State Sen. Derek Kilmer (D) defeated Bill Driscoll (R), a Marine
Corps veteran who has worked in the forest products industry, by 59% to
41%. In the new 10th CD, businessman and former House Majority
Leader Denny Heck (D),
who
lost
to
Jaime
Herrera
(R)
in
the
3rd
CD
race
in
2010, defeated Pierce County CouncilmemberDick
Muri
(R), who lost to Adam Smith
(D) in the 9th CD race in 2010, by 58.56% to 41.44%. The
delegation balance goes from 4D,
4R
and
1v
to
6D,
4R.State Legislature:All 98 House seats and 24
of 49 Senate
seats were up. Democrats kept control of both chambers;
the House went from 56D,
42R
to
55D, 43R and
the Senate from 27D,
22R to 26D, 23R.
Ballot Measures:
Voters decided six ballot measures. They approved Initiative 1185,
which would require two-thirds legislative majorities
or voter approval for tax increases, by 63.91% to 36.09%; approved
Initiative 1240 on creation of a public charter school system by
50.69% to 49.31%; approvedas
summarized
by legislative staff: "A broad cross-section of voters participate in
the Presidential Preference Primary, which is preferable to the party
caucus system, where fewer voters participate. However, the political
parties are legally entitled to ignore the results of the presidential
primary, so it becomes merely a beauty contest. Therefore, due to the
state’s fiscal situation, the cost savings outweigh the benefits of
holding the primary."

The Senate
passed SB
5119 on April 6, 2011 by a vote of 34-15, the House passed
the measure on April 19 by 69-28 and 1 excused, and Gov. Gregoire
signed it on May 12.

"Most
voters are choosing to vote
by mail this election. Of the 39 counties, 37 are using vote-by-mail
exclusively. King and Pierce also offer poll-site voting on November 4,
but most of their voters are voting by mail." -SoS

2008
OverviewThe Obama-Biden ticket
amassed a plurality of