Key races to watch in 2024 Washington primary election (2024)

Register to vote

Before you can vote in Washington state, you must register. Registration can be done in several ways: Online, by mail or in person.

To register online you'll need your Washington state driver's license or ID. Visit Votewa.gov and submit your information.

To register by mail, either print a voter registration form or request a registration form. Address the completed form to your county elections office address before mailing.

To register to vote, you must be:

Dates and deadlines

July 19: 18-day voting period of the 2024 primary election begins

July 29: Online and mail-in voter registrations must be received eight days before Election Day.

Aug. 6: Deadline for in-person voter registration or changes. Deposit your ballot in an official drop box by 8 p.m.

Aug. 20: County Canvassing Board certifies and transmits results.

Aug. 23: Deadline for secretary of state to certify results of the August primary.

Voting by mail

Washington has been a vote-by-mail state since 2011.

Registered voters do not need to request a ballot. Ballots are automatically mailed to the address the voter has registered.

Completed ballots are placed in a security envelope or sleeve.

The security envelope or sleeve is then put into a return envelope and signed. Ballots must be signed. Signatures are checked against voter registration records.

Ballots have pre-paid postage and are returned through the mail or at ballot drop boxes. If mailed, it must be postmarked by Election Day. The U.S. Postal Service recommends voters mail ballots a week prior. Drop boxes are open until 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Tracking your ballot

After dropping off or mailing a ballot, voters can track the status of their ballot by visiting VoteWA.gov.

Voters must sign in.

On the navigation bar, select "Ballot Status."

Information includes when the ballot was sent, when it was returned and its current status.

How ballots are processed

After a ballot is delivered, envelopes are scanned and marked as "received" in the state system.

They are sorted by precinct and district.

Signatures on ballots are checked against voter registration records. (Voters are contacted before processing if a signature is missing or doesn't match.)

Envelopes are opened and the security sleeve is removed.

Ballots are removed from the security sleeve.

Ballots are reviewed for scanning issues, then scanned and stored.

Key races

Local and statewide races will appear on your ballot during the 2024 primary election.

The two top vote-getters during the August primary advance to the November general election.

Here's a look at some of the key races in Washington state:

Governor

Two of the top gubernatorial candidates vying to replace outgoing Gov. Jay Inslee are Democrat Bob Ferguson and Republican Dave Reichert.

Ferguson, the current state attorney general, announced his candidacy in September 2023. Ferguson was first elected as Washington’s attorney general in 2012. He also previously served on the King County Council.

Reichert, a former U.S. representative and King County sheriff, filed in June of 2023. Reichert served with the King County Sheriff's Office for 33 years before being elected to Washington's 8th Congressional District in 2004. He left Congress in 2019.

Also on the list are Democrat Sen. Mark Mullet and Republican Semi Bird, a former Richland School Board member who was endorsed by the GOP.

The governor is elected to a four-year term and is the chief executive officer, making appointments for state positions, including state agency directors. The governor also has the power to sign or veto legislation and submit budget recommendations and reports to the Legislature.

State attorney general

Three people are running to replace gubernatorial candidate Ferguson as state attorney general: Nick Brown, state Sen. Manka Dhingra and Pete Serrano.

Brown, a Democrat, is a former U.S. attorney for the Western District of Washington and general counsel for Gov. Jay Inslee. He served as U.S. attorney from 2021 until his resignation in June of 2023.

Sen. Dhingra, a Democrat out of Redmond, serves as deputy majority leader. She was a senior deputy prosecutor in King County for the past 20 years and helped train police in crisis intervention.

Serrano, a Republican, has served on the Pasco City Council since 2017 and is a practicing attorney. He is the director-general counsel of the Silent Majority Foundation - a conservative nonprofit that has filed legal challenges on gun control legislation and COVID-19 orders and mandates.

The state attorney general serves for four years as legal counsel to the governor, members of the Legislature, state officials and state entities. The Office of the Attorney General is tasked with protecting the public by upholding the Consumer Protection Act.

Commissioner of Public Lands

Seven people are in the race to become the next commissioner of public lands.

Whoever is elected in November will replace Hilary Franz, who, after dropping out of the race for governor, chose to run for the 6th Congressional District.

Among the candidates are King County Councilmember Dave Upthegrove, a Democrat, and former U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, a Republican.

Republican Sue Kuehl Pederson is also running. She previously ran for the position in 2020.

The commissioner of public lands heads the Department of Natural Resources, overseeing the management of more than 5 million acres of state land. The commissioner also manages the state's on-call fire department, which works to prevent and fight wildfires on 13 million acres of private, state and tribal-owned land.

The commissioner serves a four-year term.

US Senate

Ten people are challenging incumbent U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell to serve in Congress.

Among those challengers is Republican Raul Garcia, who has previously cast himself as a moderate. The doctor out of Yakima had initially decided to run for governor, but dropped outof that race and endorsed Reichert.

Senators serve six-year terms. The Senate has 100 members, two from each state. The Senate has several exclusive duties, including consenting to treaties, confirming federal appointments made by the president and trying federal officials impeached by the House.

Congressional districts

Voters will decide who will serve in Congress for all 10 districts.

That includes District 6, in which Derek Kilmer announced he will not continue serving.

There are five candidates hoping to replace Kilmer, including Franz, state Sen. Emily Randall and state Rep. Drew MacEwen.

U.S. representatives serve two-year terms. The House has 435 members. Every state has a different number of members based on population. Among their duties, representatives introduce bills and resolutions, offer amendments and serve on committees.