August Primary Ballots Mailed In King County: What To Know

KING COUNTY, WA — King County Elections began mailing August primary ballots to registered voters across the region Wednesday, and residents will have roughly three weeks to make their voices heard and narrow down a crowded field in federal, state and local races.

More than 160 candidates are vying for 52 offices up for election this year, including in the U.S. House and Senate and the state legislature.

On the federal level, Sen. Patty Murray's seat is up for election and she will face 17 challengers in the primary, including Democrats and Republicans, independents and unaffiliated candidates.

Four Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives will also appear on August ballots: Reps. Pramila Jayapal, Suzan DelBene, Kim Schrier and Adam Smith. Schrier, who flipped the 8th District in 2018 and was reelected in 2020, could face an especially strong challenge this year, attracting some high-profile Republicans, including King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn, Matt Larkin, and Jesse Jensen. Jensen ran against Schrier in the 2020 general election and was defeated by less than four points.

Reps. Jayapal, DelBene and Smith comfortably held off their challengers in the last election.

A central race on the state level will be the race for Secretary of State, with eight candidates vying for the job. Longtime Republican incumbent Kim Wyman stepped down late last year to accept an appointment in the Biden administration. Gov. Jay Inslee appointed Democratic state Sen. Steve Hobbs to fill the role, and he is on the ballot seeking a full term. His challengers include Julie Anderson, the Pierce County Auditor, who is running as a nonpartisan.

More than a dozen legislative districts have state representatives or senators up for re-election this year, and many races attracted at least two candidates. Some incumbents are running unopposed, including Frank Chopp, Nicole Macri and Jamie Pedersen in District 43.

Voters in some cities will see ballot measures in the primary, which were filed by Normandy Park, Skykomish School District, Enumclaw Fire Department, King County Fire Protection District 34, Mountain View Fire and Rescue and the Si View Metropolitan District.

Ballots will begin arriving in mailboxes through the end of the week, and they must be postmarked by Aug. 2 or returned to a drop box or vote center by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Voters who need to register or update their registration can still do so online or by mail until July 25, and in-person registration is available until the polls close.

Here are a few helpful resources for the August 2022 Primary Election:

• Review the full list of candidates and ballot measures on the ballot.
• Find a drop box or vote center, and learn more about returning ballots by mail.
• Register to vote or update your registration online