OLYMPIA — Washington will get its first new governor in 12 years in 2025, and whoever it’s should tackle among the state’s most persistent issues, together with price of residing, crime and homelessness.
To realize perception into how Washington voters need the following governor to deal with these points, The Seattle Occasions partnered with KING 5 and the College of Washington’s Heart for an Knowledgeable Public to survey folks more likely to vote on this 12 months’s election.
Within the WA Ballot, respondents have been requested to decide on as much as two coverage prescriptions out of a listing of doable cures for every concern. No class obtained a majority, however some areas drew extra settlement than others over the very best plan of action.
On this 12 months’s race, Democrats Bob Ferguson and Mark Mullet are competing in opposition to Republicans Dave Reichert and Semi Chook for the state’s high job. The highest-two vote-getters within the Aug. 6 main will face off within the November normal election. Ferguson and Reichert are broadly thought-about front-runners.
Price of residing
Twenty-five % of respondents recognized price of residing as the problem most vital to them.
When requested about how the following governor ought to tackle it, the one largest group of voters — 44% — mentioned they need to construct extra inexpensive housing.
One such voter is Mary Bears, 68, of Richland, who factors to rising lease.
She mentioned she’s “comfy,” however her grocery invoice has jumped prior to now 12 months, and he or she has buddies who have been compelled to return to work after retiring.
“In speaking with different seniors, we’re all battling making an attempt to afford to stay within the economic system that it’s proper now,” she mentioned. “Rents have turn out to be out of sight.”
Bears helps Chook for governor. She mentioned the previous Richland College Board member desires to reunite Jap and Western Washington, which she mentioned have gotten “additional and additional aside.”
Lately, state legislators dramatically boosted funding for the state’s Housing Belief Fund, from $35 million in 2018 to $337 million in 2023, partly buoyed by pandemic aid funds. That helped construct 3,352 items of inexpensive housing in 2023, nevertheless it falls far wanting the 700,000 inexpensive houses the state estimates must be constructed over the following 20 years.
The following largest group — 40% — mentioned the brand new governor ought to decrease taxes.
In current classes, state legislators created a tax on capital good points and instituted a 0.58% payroll tax to fund the state’s long-term care insurance coverage program.
Each of these taxes face challenges on the poll field this November.
However legislators did fund, for the primary time, the state’s Working Households Tax Credit score, which provides as much as $1,255 to low- and moderate-income Washington households.
Crime
Each front-runners for governor emphasize public security, with Ferguson, the state’s longtime legal professional normal, saying in a brand new TV advert this week that it’s his high precedence and Reichert, a former congressman, touting his report as former King County sheriff.
Seven % of doubtless normal election voters mentioned crime was their high concern when voting this 12 months. Of the doubtless main voters who mentioned crime was their high concern, 50% mentioned they again Reichert, and 28% mentioned they again Ferguson.
Violent crime decreased in Washington in 2023, and native leaders created an initiative to combat gun violence earlier this month, after a spate of Seattle-area shootings. Automotive thefts have additionally elevated steadily over the past a number of years, in line with a current report from the Washington Affiliation of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs.
There was no clear consensus on what ought to be finished to deal with crime, however the space the place there was most settlement amongst voters — 36% — was hiring extra law enforcement officials, adopted by 33% who mentioned that extra psychological well being care ought to be funded.
The state’s share of law enforcement officials per capita is the bottom within the nation, a degree that Ferguson highlighted in his new TV advert, promising to rent extra police and first responders, create a “statewide response unit” to combat fentanyl and make investments billions of opioid settlement {dollars} in therapy.
“Washingtonians should really feel protected and be protected for our state to thrive,” he mentioned within the advert.
The Seattle Police Division has fewer than 1,000 officers because the metropolis’s pre-pandemic excessive of about 1,400, and metropolis officers are attempting to spice up hiring. State legislators have additionally tried to entice recruits to affix the Washington State Patrol.
Reichert, the Republican front-runner, mentioned in a press release that voters “from throughout the political spectrum” are “fed up with the established order and desire a chief that may preserve their communities protected whereas making Washington extra inexpensive to stay, work, and lift a household.”
“As governor, these points shall be my high precedence and I’ll get to work on day one to ship outcomes for Washingtonians,” he mentioned.
Homelessness
Six % of voters mentioned homelessness was most vital to them when voting this 12 months.
The state’s response to homelessness has been current and restricted, and primarily centered on youth and younger adults. By making a state company devoted to tackling youth homelessness and ramping up funding, Washington decreased youth and younger grownup homelessness by 40% since 2016 by some measures.
However grownup homelessness has proved harder, and homelessness continues to develop general. King County recorded a 23% enhance between 2022 and 2024, and Pierce County noticed the identical proportion enhance inside a single 12 months in 2023. Practically each nook of the state is affected.
Forty-five % of ballot respondents mentioned that to deal with homelessness, the following governor ought to fund extra psychological well being care. Forty-one % mentioned the governor ought to increase drug and alcohol therapy.
About two-thirds of people who find themselves homeless have some psychological well being dysfunction, in line with one of many largest research ever finished on the topic.
That quantity consists of substance use dysfunction, which was probably the most prevalent affliction, with 44% of individuals affected by it.
Nevertheless, consultants say inexpensive and out there housing stays probably the most determined want for homeless folks, whether or not they have a psychological well being dysfunction or not.
Lindsey Anderson, 25, who lives in Seattle, mentioned the following governor ought to prioritize extra housing and funding psychological well being therapy to combat homelessness. She’s supporting Ferguson.
“To me, it’s widespread sense that offering folks with their fundamental wants will assist preserve them off the streets,” she mentioned.
Voting opened Friday for the Aug. 6 main. The final election shall be held Nov. 5.
The ballot included 708 doubtless voters and was performed between July 10 and 13, 2024. Extra outcomes shall be launched within the coming days.
Seattle Occasions employees reporter Greg Kim contributed reporting.
