OLYMPIA, Wash. — Washington state voters are on track to vote against Initiative 2117, which would repeal the state's Climate Commitment Act, according to a KING 5 poll
The Climate Commitment Act includes the carbon market program, requiring the largest polluters to pay into a fund to compensate for carbon emissions. Since 2023, revenue from the program has exceeded $2 billion to benefit environmental programs.
I-2117 is sponsored by the conservative group Let's Go Washington
According to the poll results, 48% of likely voters would vote against the initiative and 30% voting to approve it, with 22% saying they are undecided.
Conservatives in the state support the measure 51% to 29%, while liberal and moderate voters oppose the measure by a 52-point and 16-point margin respectively.
Supporters of the initiative have blamed the Climate Commitment Act for higher gas prices and allege the money from the program isn't being spent wisely.
Opponents of I-2117 believe that repealing the climate act will harm the state, resulting in more pollution and a cut in funding for environmental and transportation programs.
KING 5, The Seattle Times and the University of Washington Center for an Informed Public commissioned the poll conducted by SurveyUSA.
Other initiatives up for a vote this election include I-2109, which would repeal an excise tax on capital assets, I-2124, which would make contributing to the state’s long-term care insurance program opt-in, and I-2066, which would repeal or prohibit regulations discouraging natural gas use.
According to the poll results, I-2109, I-2124 appear likely to fail with I-2066 having the best chance to pass.
I-2109
Initiative 2109 aims to repeal the state capital gains tax, which is imposed annually on the sale or exchange of long-term Washington capital assets. The state capital gains tax applies to an individual with an adjusted annual Washington capital gain above $250,000.
The money goes to measures like childcare subsidies for qualifying families, bonuses for childcare centers offering hard-to-cover hours, and school construction. The tax went to the state Supreme Court and was ruled constitutional.
In the poll, 55% of likely voters said vote against the initiative, compared to 27% saying they would approve it. 18% are undecided. The initiative, sponsored by conservative group Let’s Go Washington, is heavily supported by “very conservative” voters in the state. Support among “somewhat conservative” edges out opposing the initiative 39% to 35%. Liberal voters in the state oppose the measure in the largest margin 80% to 14%.
I-2124
Initiative 2124 would allow people to opt out of WA Cares, according to Let's Go Washington, the conservative group that organized the effort.
Employers in Washington state began deducting premiums from paychecks in July 2023 to fund WA Cares Fund, the state’s new long-term care insurance program. The program was signed into law in 2019.
Under the Long Term Care Act, eligible workers will pay 0.58% of their paychecks to fund the program. Several categories of workers who are unlikely to pull from the fund are eligible to receive exemptions; information can be found here.
The WA Cares Fund will eventually be used to help Washingtonians access a $36,500 benefit - adjusted annually for inflation - for long-term care insurance. Benefits will become available for qualified individuals in July 2026.
49% of likely voters said they would vote no on I-2124, with 28% voting yes and 23% undecided. According to the poll, “very conservative” voters outweigh support at 53% with support no higher than 45% among any other group. Two-thirds of liberal voters said they will vote no and moderate voters also oppose the initiative with a margin of five to three.
I-2066
I-2066 is in response to HB 1589, which was passed during the 2024 legislative session. The bill directs "large combination utilities," or combination gas and electric companies that serve more than 800,000 customers, to plan for the development of specific actions "supporting gas system decarbonization and electrification" in alignment with the state's goals to move toward 100% clean energy. The initiative is aimed at resisting some of these moves.
I-2066 specifically strikes a passage of HB 1589 that requires that large combination utilities assess the costs and benefits of replacing natural gas pipelines, infrastructure projects and utility end uses with electric alternatives.
44% of likely voters said they would vote to approve the measure with 31% voting against it. 25% of voters are still undecided, meaning the fate of the measure is still up in the air.
“Very liberal” voters in the state are split at 40% to 40%. In other groups of voters support outweighs opposition, in some instances by small margins.
New poll shows Cantwell leads Garcia by 23 points in US Senate race
Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell would defeat Dr. Raul Garcia by 23 points if the election were held today, according to a new poll.
With less than 20 days left until Election Day. Cantwell leads Garcia 55% to 32% among likely voters with 13% undecided.
Garcia polled well among supporters of former President Donald Trump and Dave Reichert for governor. Garcia also leads by a wide margin among respondents who said border security was the most important issue and by nine points among those who said the cost of living was their most important issue.
Cantwell leads Garcia by wide margins among likely voters who said abortion, climate change and protecting democracy were their most import issues.
Cantwell polled two points behind Vice President Kamala Harris, who would get 57% of the vote in the presidential race and five points ahead of Attorney General Bob Ferguson, who would get 50% of the vote in the gubernatorial race.
According to the poll results, Cantwell keeps 88% of those voting for Harris and 94% of those voting for Ferguson, while Garcia only keeps 77% of those voting for Trump and 80% of those voting for Reichert.
Cantwell was first elected to the Senate in 2000. Garcia, an emergency room doctor from Yakima, dropped out of the gubernatorial race last year to instead run for Senate.
KING 5, The Seattle Times and the University of Washington Center for an Informed Public commissioned the poll conducted by SurveyUSA.
New poll reveals Kamala Harris holds an edge over Donald Trump in Washington state
Vice President Kamala Harris received 57% of the vote in an exclusive KING 5 News Poll, with former President Donald Trump down by over 20 points in Washington state.
According to the poll Wednesday, Trump received 35% of the vote, 7% of respondents were undecided and 1% said they would be voting for another candidate.
Eighty-four percent of those who voted for Trump in 2020 said they would vote for him again in 2024, while 10% said they would switch to vote for Harris. Joe Biden's 2020 voters are much more firmly in Harris' camp, with 95% voting for her and just 3% switching to Trump, according to the poll. Harris took 97% of Democrats' votes, while Trump represented 85% of Republicans' votes. Independents broke for Harris by 15 points, 52% to 37%.
Trump led by 82 percentage points among those who said border security is the most important issue, and by seven points among those most focused on the cost of living.
The poll revealed Harris leads on other issues, overwhelmingly on abortion (86 points), protecting democracy (77 points), and climate change (74 points). Harris also leads significantly among voters who said homelessness is their top issue (27 points); and by an eight-point margin among those who said crime is most important.
Harris leads by 35 points among college graduates and 23 points among those who have attended some college, while Trump leads by a nominal single point among those with less formal education.
Harris voters appear to be more certain of their choice: 93% of in favor of the vice president said they will "definitely" vote for her. According to the poll, 6% said there is a chance they may change their minds.
Eighty-six percent of Trump voters said they are certain they will vote for him, while 13% said they may change their minds. The poll revealed Harris led by a 30-point margin among those who said they were certain to vote. Trump held a 13-point edge among those who said they would probably cast a ballot.
Harris is preferred by margins ranging between 16 and 35 points when voters were asked which candidate they would trust more to improve each of the following issues:
- 35 points: Reproductive rights. 63% said they would have more trust in Harris; 28% would have more trust in Trump.
- 22 points: Public safety. 55% said they would trust Harris more compared to 33% for Trump.
- 21 points: US diplomatic relations with other nations. 57% would have more trust in Harris on this issue. 36% would have more trust in Trump.
- 19 points: Economy. 56% trust Harris more compared to 37% for Trump.
- 16 points: Immigration. 54% trust Harris more, 38% Trump – his best performance on any of the five issues.\
Most important issues for Washington voters
Twenty-seven percent of people who participated in an exclusive KING 5 News Poll said cost of living will be the most important issue to them when they cast their ballots this year.
This percentage is up slightly from 25% in a poll taken three months ago. According to the poll, voters most likely to select this as their top issue include 2020 Trump voters, those who are likely but not certain to vote, Republicans, somewhat conservative voters, and voters under age 50.
The next important issue, according to the poll, is protecting democracy. Sixteen percent of voters chose this as their most important issue, down slightly from 18% this summer. Voters over 50 and 2020 Biden voters said protecting democracy is their top issue.
Border security and abortion tied for third, each at 12% and each up two points from July, but with different groups most focused on each. Border security is the top issue for very conservative voters, with 34% choosing it, eight points higher than they rate the cost of living. Abortion, meantime is the top issue for very liberal voters at 39% – twice as high as protecting democracy (20%) and climate change (18%) for these groups.
The remaining issues are in single digits:
- Climate change is most important to 9% of voters, up marginally from 8% this summer. Latinos and very liberal voters are the most likely to say climate change is their top issue.
- Homelessness is the top issue for 6%, unchanged from the previous poll. This is 14% among voters in urban Washington, 5% in rural Washington, and 2% in the suburbs.
- 5% said crime is the most important issue, down from 7% in July, and most important, at 17%, to those of Asian descent.
- 5% said guns are most important, down from 9% in July. Highest for Asian voters and those with high school educations.
- 5% said another issue is most important; 2% are not sure.
Wealth tax, education funding and state of democracy
KING 5 polled voters on other issues facing the state and country this election from a wealth tax, education funding, election certification and the state of democracy. Here’s how voters in Washington state responded.
Wealth tax
Sixty-six percent of voters in the state said they would support a wealth tax on those with net a worth greater than $250 million. Among those who support the tax by a wide margin include voters who identify as moderate, liberal and very liberal.
Conservatives in the state are more split on the issue with “very conservative” voters split 42% support and 41% oppose with 17% undecided.
Overall, 19% of voters oppose the tax.
Education funding
Sixty-five percent of voters would support increasing funding for public K-12 schools by $3 billion, the amount the state superintendent wants lawmakers to approve.
Fifteen percent of voters oppose the increase in funding, including 41% of very conservative voters.
Forty-four percent of voters said the funding should be paid for by making cuts to other parts of the state budget and only 12% said new or increased taxes are the answer, although, the remaining 44% said it should be a combination of both.
Voting, election certification and the state of democracy
Forty-two percent of voters believe the state of democracy is holding firm but threatened and 34% believe it is weak and may collapse.
Voters who identify as liberal or very liberal believe the state of democracy is holding firm by the widest margins at 55% and 52%.
On the flip side, 56% of “very conservative” voters believe democracy is weak and may collapse.
Only 14% of voters said the state of democracy is “strong and resilient.”
Both conservatives and liberals are concerned about artificial intelligence and “deepfakes” this election season.
Forty percent of Republicans and 40% of Democrats are “very concerned” about the technology being used to create and spread rumors. Only 5% of voters are “not concerned at all.”
Trust in Washington state’s vote-by-mail system has mostly stayed the same since the 2020 election with the exception of “very conservative” voters, with 54% saying it decreased.
Forty-eight percent of voters said their trust in the systems remained the same with 20% saying it increased and 23% saying it decreased.
Voters were asked which institution they had confidence in resolving issues in the event of a close or disputed election.
Forty-six percent of voters said they had “some confidence” in state and local election officials to resolve any potential dispute. That number was highest among moderate voters at 55%, but also pretty even among the other voter groups between 42% and 48%. Very conservative voters had the highest amount of respondents saying they had “no confidence” at 39%.
Fifty-one percent of voters said they had “some confidence” in state courts to resolve any potential issue. Forty-seven percent of voters said they had “some confidence” when asked about federal courts.
Confidence levels were most split when voters were asked if the U.S. Supreme Court could resolve any potential election dispute.
Thirty-eight percent of voters said they had “some confidence” and 32% of voters said they had “no confidence” in the U.S. Supreme Court to resolve any potential dispute.
The “no confidence” response was highest among liberal and very liberal voters at 50% and 53%. Fifty-six percent of conservative voters and 42% of very conservative voters said they had “some confidence.”