Civics 101 – 2026 Election – Seattle CityClub

Ahead of the 2026 election, brush up on Washington election basics with 11 quick flashcards covering initiatives, referendums, signatures, and more.

2026 Election

Washington’s general election is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Ballots are mailed and the voting period begins October 16. The deadline to register or update your voter information online or by mail is October 26, but eligible Washingtonians can register and vote in person through 8 p.m. on Election Day. Completed ballots must be deposited in an official drop box by 8 p.m. on November 3 or mailed with a valid Election Day postmark.

2026 Election

Almost. An initiative sponsor or co-sponsor must be a registered Washington voter. They submit the proposed law to the Secretary of State, pay a filing fee, and go through a formal review process before petitions can be printed and signatures collected. In 2026, the filing fee is $156.

2026 Election

There are a few stops along the way. A sponsor files the proposed law with the Secretary of State; the state Code Reviser reviews initiative language for technical and drafting issues; the Attorney General prepares the official ballot title and summary; and then supporters can circulate petitions. Collect enough valid signatures by the deadline, and the proposal can move on to voters—or, depending on the type of initiative, first to the Legislature.

2026 Election

For a Washington statewide initiative, the number of valid signatures required equals 8% of the votes cast for governor in the previous gubernatorial election. For 2026 initiatives, that means at least 308,911 valid voter signatures. Because some submitted signatures may ultimately be invalid, the Secretary of State recommends gathering substantially more—about 390,000 for the current cycle.

2026 Election

Not necessarily. Petition signatures must come from registered Washington voters, and only one signature per voter counts. After petitions are submitted, the Secretary of State checks for issues including duplicate signatures and whether signers are registered voters; state law also allows officials to verify qualifying petitions using a random-sampling process in certain circumstances.

2026 Election

Washington actually has two routes for initiatives. An Initiative to the People goes directly to voters at the next November general election if it qualifies. An Initiative to the Legislature first goes to state lawmakers, who can pass it into law, take no action and send it to voters, or propose an alternative that appears alongside it on the ballot.

2026 Election

Close—but not quite. An initiative allows voters to propose a new law or change an existing one. A referendum measure asks voters to approve or reject all or part of a law recently passed by the Legislature. Referendums have a lower signature threshold: 4% of the votes cast in the previous governor’s race, compared with 8% for initiatives.

2026 Election

Not the campaign. The Washington Attorney General’s Office prepares the official ballot title and summary for initiatives, while the Office of Financial Management estimates potential fiscal impacts. Statements for and against a measure in the voters’ pamphlet are written by designated committees, not state election officials.

2026 Election

Passage gives an initiative the force of law. Under the Washington Constitution, a voter-approved measure generally takes effect 30 days after the election. For its first two years, the Legislature can amend or repeal it only with a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate; after that, the Legislature can change it through the ordinary legislative process.

2026 Election

Think of the primary as the narrowing round and the general election as the deciding round. For most offices, Washington uses a top-two primary: voters can choose any candidate regardless of party preference, and the two candidates receiving the most votes advance—even if both prefer the same party. Washington voters do not register by political party.