The 36th District Democrats have endorsed the following candidates on the 2020 General Election Ballot:
| President & Vice President | Joe Biden & Kamala Harris | *gestures wildly at everything going on around us* |
| U.S. Representative | Pramila Jayapal | Pramila Jayapal has earned widespread recognition and acclaim for being a smart, fearless, and progressive legislator. Her commitments to immigrant rights and worker and small business protections are invaluable in the current climate, and she deserves another term to work on our behalf. |
| Advisory Votes 32, 33, 34 & 35 | Maintain | Advisory votes are annoying, non-binding, and only exist because Tim Eyman is a butthead. Vote maintain. |
| Referendum 90 | Approve | Washington is one of a minority of states with no requirement to teach comprehensive sex education. This referendum will fix that, meaning that kids statewide will finally learn important facts about how their bodies work, accurate information about gender and sexual orientation, and guidance about consent and healthy relationships that will literally save lives. A right-wing misinformation campaign has distributed salacious and entirely inaccurate fake curriculum materials as a scare tactic; please ignore them and vote APPROVE. |
| Governor | Jay Inslee | Washington state is faring better than almost any other during the COVID pandemic, and much of that credit goes to Jay Inslee. The Governor has exhibited the same considered, fact-led leadership that has also made him one of the faces of climate response, and we are all the better for it. Let’s show our appreciation by voting him in for another term. |
| Lt. Governor | Denny Heck | Denny Heck has, in his own words, “been advocating for progressive causes since before it was cool,” and will bring those years of experience to the role of Lieutenant Governor. Heck’s hundreds and hundreds of hours presiding over the state and U.S. Houses prepare him well for the Lieutenant Governor’s main job as President of the Washington State Senate, but he’ll also use the bully pulpit to advocate for issues dear to the 36th, like tax reform and the Green New Deal. |
| Secretary of State | Gael Tarleton | Washington State has a great election system. Gael wants to make it better. She supports dropbox expansion, voting rights for incarcerated individuals, and has ideas to increase voter participation among tribal nations and in rural areas. She’s also willing to explore ideas such as ranked-choice voting and more even-year elections. Just as importantly (alas), Tarleton has a strong background in national security and a fierce commitment to protect the integrity of our elections here in Washington State. We wish we didn’t need that part — but we’re glad to have Gael around since we do. |
| State Treasurer | Mike Pellicciotti | Mike has the broad experience needed to address today’s complicated legal financial issues. He will lead the State Treasurer’s Office through the range of economic development, legislative, legal, constitutional, and national policy issues affecting our state finances and economic recovery. As State Treasurer, Mike will put working families’ and retirees’ needs first. He has served on legislative fiscal committees, including the House Capital Budget Committee, and is a respected and independent voice on stewarding public funds responsibly. |
| State Auditor | Pat (Patrice) McCarthy | Pat McCarthy has spent four years successfully increasing government transparency, and deserves another term to continue this work. In 2020 alone, her office has completed over 800 audits, including fiscal, performance, and security examinations. She has also overhauled the Washington State Auditor’s website to make in information-rich and more accessible, bringing important government information to Washingtonians’ fingertips. |
| Attorney General | Bob Ferguson | Chess-loving Attorney General Bob Ferguson is America’s unlikely legal rock star, with a 21-0 record against the Trump administration and years of courtroom experience fighting for progressive values. Regardless of who occupies the Oval Office next year, we’ll be lucky to have such a smart, bold legal mind representing our state for another term. |
| Public Lands | Hilary Franz | Hilary Franz is one of the most delightful people you’ll ever meet, which shouldn’t distract you from the fact that she’s also the smartest person in the room. Her motto is “Do epic shit,” and for the past four years she has, protecting our natural resources and fighting wildfires even while challenged by insufficient budgetary support. She’ll start her next term with a ten-year wildfire plan and a twenty-year forest health plan ready to go, and we really, really think you should give her a chance to implement them. |
| Public Instruction | Chris Reykdal | Chris Reykdal has been a committed and effective leader for the past four years, including the most challenging year in Washington State schools’ history. Besides his work to keep teachers and students safe in the midst of the pandemic, Chris has modernized our educational system with current best practices like de-linking high stakes testing from graduation and increasing funding to support students with disabilities. He’s also improved quality of life for teachers by expanding health care and increasing pay. Public education matters more than ever; re-elect Reykdal to keep its care in good hands. |
| Ins. Commissioner | Mike Kreidler | Under his leadership, Washington has taken steps to ensure consumers continue to have the protections guaranteed through the federal Affordable Care Act, helped consumers recover an average of $10 million annually from insurance companies, and begun to prepare itself for climate change’s effects on insurance. Mike has a holistic and modern perspective on his job and has earned another term. |
| State Representative 1 | Noel Frame | Noel has been serving the 36th District since 2016 and has done an excellent job. She is a driving force behind our state’s important tax-reform movement and a powerful champion for youth in the foster system and other children in need. Noel also aligns with our values on housing affordability, transit, environmental justice, and other issues that 36th District Democrats face every day. |
| State Representative 2 | Sarah Reyneveld | Sarah’s years of service on our executive board and in our district ensure she knows the 36th’s voters and issues inside out, and her experience in the Attorney General’s office gives her a statewide perspective. Sarah’s values-driven leadership will represent the 36th well in the state legislature. |
| KC Charter Amendments 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7 | Yes | This is a well thought-out set of charter amendments endorsed by the majority of the King County Council and a variety of local Democratic and other progressive organizations. For more background and detailed information, click here. |
| KC Proposition 1 | Approve | This proposition, a renewal of an existing measure, supports the modernization of Harborview hospital, which is a literal lifeline for people in four states. By voting “approve” you’ll help improve both physical and mental health outcomes for thousands of our neighbors for years to come. |
| City of Seattle Prop 1 | Yes | Seattleites rely on transit. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly half of our commute trips to downtown happened on transit. Our bus system keeps us connected so we can get to and from work, keep appointments, and access services. While the current crisis has many of us at home, one in three essential workers relies on Metro. We must ensure bus service remains open, safe, and dependable for those we count on. Vote “Yes” on this proposition to retain an existing funding source and keep transit running for those who depend on it. |
| State Supreme Court | Raquel Montoya-Lewis, Pos. 3
Charles W. Johnson, Pos. 4 G. Helen Whitener Whitener, Pos. 6 |
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| King County Superior Court | Hillary Madsen, Pos. 13
Carolyn Ladd, Pos. 30 |
Hillary Madsen has seen firsthand how institutions can work together to quash opportunities, not increase them, and wants to reverse this trajectory. Madsen understands that ignoring system racism and financial barriers makes the court system less impartial, not more, and has concrete ideas for how to tip things back towards balanced. Her years of advocating for children in foster care and other challenging situations have honed her empathy and given her a unique perspective on the court system, and she will make an excellent judge.
In addition to her strong legal qualifications, Carolyn Ladd has a history of quiet activism that we find quite moving, including volunteering at name-change clinics for the queer community. This dedication to justice and equity both in and out of the courtroom is a hallmark of a good judge. |
We will be updating this page with more about the candidates soon. You may read statements about candidates in the voter guide here. Feel free to download the graphic below to share our endorsements on social media:
