Three initiatives to the Legislature, which went directly to the ballot after the legislature took no action were rejected by voters in the November 5 election.
- I-2109—Repealing the Capital Gains Tax
- I-2117—Repealing the Climate Commitment Act
- I-2124—Making WA Cares Fund voluntary
The fourth ballot measure I –2066 Concerning access to natural gas for Washington homes and businesses was an initiative to the people introduced in reaction to legislative debate on incentivizing natural gas phase-out. While the vote count has been close, it is now predicted that it will pass. For more information on that initiative and its preemption impacts on city authority, see the article here.
Please note that the election results are not final until certified. Election results will be certified by each county on November 26, 2024. The Secretary of State certifies final results by December 5, 2024. If it passes I-2066 will also take effect on December 5, 2024.
Three other initiatives passed during the 2024 session (I-2081 parental rights in schools, I-2111 income tax preemption, I-2113 vehicular pursuits) and took effect in June. Given the changes in the legislative majorities and success in passing several of the proposals, some are speculating whether initiatives will continue to be a tool used to bring policy issues directly to voters in 2025, instead of seeking to introduce them as legislation.
Currently 13 new initiatives to the Legislature have been filed for 2025, but it is unclear if any are actively gathering signatures. Several cover similar issues to I-2066, and one proposes to cut property taxes by 25 percent. To be certified, those petitions must have at least 324,516 valid signatures from registered voters, and the deadline for submission is 5 pm on January 3, 2025, ten days before the start of the 2025 legislative session.
While AWC does not take a position on ballot measures, we provide factual information on the potential impacts to our members. City officials should also be aware of PDC guidelines on ballot measures.
Learn about the four ballot initiatives and their potential city impacts
August 12, 2024
In this year’s legislative session, we saw the unusual introduction of six initiatives to the Legislature. Of those initiatives, three are moving forward to the ballot box in November’s general election to be decided by voters:
A fourth initiative, an initiative to the people, was put forward after the legislative session and gathered enough signatures by the state’s July 5 deadline to qualify for the ballot.
The Office of Financial Management has also completed fiscal impact statements for each of the ballot measures.
If passed, each initiative will have direct or indirect implications for Washington’s cities. While AWC does not take a position on ballot measures, we provide factual information on the potential impacts to our members. We encourage you to learn more about each of the initiatives and what they could mean for your city. City officials should also be aware of PDC guidelines on ballot measures.