2022 Policing and Public Safety Voter Guide
WASHINGTON STATE LEGISLATURE
Washington State is divided into forty-nine (49) legislative districts. Each legislative district (LD) has one senator and two representatives. Senators serve four-year terms and Representatives serve two-year terms. Every two years, all of the representative positions and half of the senator positions are up for election.
In January 2023, the State Legislature convenes for a few short months to consider and pass new state laws.
The opportunity to address issues such as qualified immunity, law enforcement accountability, and more lies in the hands of who we send to Olympia for this Legislative Session.
This section of the Voter Guide serves to educate on the issues at stake and where our candidates stand.
With this information you can understand your candidates’ views and cast an informed vote.
What’s On the Ballot
The Washington State Legislature is made up of two chambers, the Senate and the House of Representatives. These chambers meet in session each year to create new laws, change existing laws, and enact budgets for the State.
LEARN MORE:
Washington State Legislature Overview of the Legislative Process
Washington State Legislature - Ballotpedia
Washington State Constitution - Article II - Legislative Department
What is my Legislative District?
The Washington State Redistricting Commission redrew the state’s legislative district boundaries in 2021 to reflect population shifts across the state over the last decade and captured in the 2020 Census.
As of 10/18/2022, the District Finder on the Washington State Legislature website still reflects the old legislative district boundaries that took effect in 2002 and not those now in effect in 2022. To double check whether your LD has changed after redistricting, voters can reference the Legislative District Map Handouts available at:
https://www.redistricting.wa.gov/district-maps-handouts
Another method to confirm your legislative district is by checking your voter registration status (everyone should do this anyway!)
Submit your voter information
Click on “My Elected Officials” in the menu on the left
Scroll down to your “Legislative” officials - the heading will tell you what your current LD number is
The Methodology
Candidate Questionnaire
A candidate questionnaire covering important state issues was sent out to all primary candidates in mid-June. Based on the candidate answers to a series of Yes/No questions, a candidate comparison card for each race is generated.
In addition, we recommend voters also explore content from the fully completed questionnaires as:
Candidate comparison cards may not adequately reflect nuances between candidate positions
Fully completed questionnaires include:
Additional comments by the candidate on Yes/No questions
Longer-form responses to open-ended questions related to policing and public safety
Candidate Ordering
Candidates are listed in the order that they will appear on the ballot.
Candidate Voting Record
If a candidate is an incumbent, a voting record on important policing and public safety bills from the 2021 and 2022 legislative sessions is provided. Learn more about these bills and why People Power Washington supported or opposed them to determine if a candidate’s voting record aligns with your views.