This union-focused ballot guide for Southwest Washington tries to keep it simple: It lists only candidates who have at least one union endorsing them. Following each name is a list of union endorsers and a link to the campaign website, if they have one. [Acronyms are in the legend below.] 

1) MAKE SURE YOU’RE REGISTERED

To vote in Washington, you must be eligible and registered. Eligibility means you’re a U.S. citizen, at least 18, not serving a felony sentence, and a legal resident of Washington at least 30 days. The deadline is July 29 to register by mail or online and Aug. 6 in person.

2) LOOK FOR THE BALLOT IN THE MAIL 

Ballots will be mailed July 19 and should arrive by July 25. No postage is needed to return the ballot, but for it to count, it must be postmarked by Aug. 6 or deposited in an official ballot drop box by then. Ballot drop boxes will be open 24-7 until 8 p.m. Aug. 6.

3) UNDERSTAND HOW IT WORKS

Washington uses a “top-two” primary system in which all candidates for an office appear on the ballot together regardless of which party they prefer, and the two candidates who get the most votes square off against each other in the November general election. 

FEDERAL OFFICES

Senate

Maria Cantwell is seeking a fifth six-year term as U.S. Senator. A Democrat first elected in 2001, Cantwell holds a 95% lifetime voting score from the AFL-CIO, and a 100% score for 2023. Cantwell chairs the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. She faces a challenge from Republican doctor Raul Garcia and nine others. WSLC, IBEW 48 Cantwell.com

House of Representatives

Congressional District 3 (SW Washington)

Marie Gluesenkamp Perez is a Democrat running for a second two-year term. A graduate of Reed College, she owns a mechanic shop in Northeast Portland. She has an 80% voting score from the AFL-CIO for 2023, her first year in office, based on 10 tracked votes in the Republican-led House. That means she voted in sync with AFL-CIO recommendations on eight bills, including a vote for continued funding to avert a government shutdown. On two others, she went against the AFL-CIO: She voted to block President Biden’s student debt relief program (which was later struck down in court); and she voted for a bill that the AFL-CIO said would penalize unemployment insurance recipients for inadvertent errors in program administration. Perez faces three other candidates in the primary, including Republican Joe Kent, who she beat by less than 1%  in 2022. Perez is proud of the role she played helping to secure federal funding to replace the heavily congested and earthquake-vulnerable Interstate Bridge; Kent has repeatedly spoken against the project. WSLC, WSBCTC, Boilermakers 502, IBEW 48, Ironworkers 29, Machinists 751 MarieForCongress.com

STATE OFFICES

Governor

Bob Ferguson, Washington’s current Democratic attorney general, will appear alongside 27 other candidates for governor, but in all likelihood he’ll be facing former Republican Congressman Dave Reichert in November. Ferguson was the first attorney general to criminally prosecute wage theft. As attorney general he also sued the U.S. Department of Energy to force greater protections for Hanford nuclear workers. And he went to court to block the Kroger-Albertsons mega-merger at the request of grocery unions. He’s endorsed by 51 labor organizations, too many for us to list below. Reichert, during his seven terms as a Congressman, earned a 40% voting score from the national AFL-CIO, an egregiously anti-union record that included votes to repeal the prevailing wage and cut the budget of the NLRB. WSLC, AFT, ATU, IBEW 48, Ironworkers, LiUNA, Machinists 751, SMART 66 BobFerguson.com

Lieutenant Governor

Denny Heck is a former Congressman and incumbent lieutenant governor, first elected in 2020. Washington’s lieutenant governor functions as president of the State Senate, and serves as governor whenever the governor is away or unable to do so. WSLC, IBEW 48 DennyHeck.com

Secretary of State

Steve Hobbs, the Democratic incumbent, is a former state senator. Washington’s secretary of state oversees elections, public records, and the registration and regulatory oversight of businesses and charities. WSLC, WSBCTC, IBEW 48, SMART 66 ElectHobbs.com

State Treasurer 

Mike Pellicciotti, a one-term incumbent, is a former state rep and before that fought financial fraud as assistant attorney general. WSLC ElectMikeP.com

State Auditor 

Pat McCarthy is a two-term incumbent and former Pierce County Executive. Ad state auditor, she’s responsible for independent audits of state and local governments. WSLC, WSBCTC PatMcCarthyAuditor.com

Attorney General

Just three candidates are running for state attorney general this year, pro-labor Democrats Nick Brown and Manka Dhingran, and Republican Pete Serrano, a Pasco City Council member who sued the state unsuccessfully to overturn restrictions on assault-style weapons and large-capacity ammunition magazines. Labor unions are about equally split backing Brown and Dhingran, and the state labor council endorsed both.

• Nick Brown is an Army veteran who has served as state and federal prosecutor and general counsel to Governor Jay Inslee. If elected attorney general, he says he would create a dedicated unit focused on enforcing worker protections and prosecuting wage theft.WSLC (dual), AFT (dual), ATU, BAC 1 WA/AK, Ironworkers 29, LiUNA, IUPAT  NickBrownForAG.com
• Manka Dhingra is Deputy Majority Leader of the Washington State Senate and has served as Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney with King County since 2000. WSLC (dual), AFT (dual), Machinists 751, IBEW 48, Ironworkers District Council, SMART 66 ElectManka.com

Commissioner of Public Lands 

Kevin Van de Wege is a Democratic state senator representing the Olympic Peninsula. He’s also a a professional fire fighter and a proud member and former president of his IAFF union local. He faces former Republican Congresswoman Jamie Herrera-Beutler and five other candidates. WSLC, WSBCTC, AFSCME, BAC 1 WA/ID, IAFF 452, Ironworkers District Council, IUPAT  KevinForLandsCommissioner.org

Superintendent of Public Instruction

Chris Reykdal is the incumbent and a former teacher and school board member. WSLC, AFSCME, AFT, IAFF, IBEW 48, Ironworkers District Council, IUPAT, SMART 66 ChrisReykdal.org

Insurance Commissioner 

Patty Kuderer has served as a state senator since 2017. She helped pass legislation to ensure that fire fighters who are diagnosed with work-related cancers are covered by workers comp. She’s also an advocate of universal health care. WSLC, AFSCME, IBEW 48 PattyKuderer.com

WASHINGTON LEGISLATURE

Washington has 49 state legislative districts. In each district, voters elect one state senator who serves a four-year term and two state representatives who serve two-year terms. 

District 17 (Eastern Vancouver)

STATE SENATOR

Marla Keethler is a sports TV producer and the mayor of White Salmon. She faces Republican Paul Harris for the seat currently held by Republican state senator Lynda Wilson, who’s not running for re-election. Since there are only two candidates, Keethler and Harris will face each other again in November. WSLC, AFSCME MarlaForSenate.com

STATE REP, POSITION 1

Terri Niles is an ICU nurse who has served on the executive committee for Oregon Nurses Association’s OHSU bargaining unit. Niles faces two Republicans in her second run as a Democrat for the seat. The seat is currently held by Republican Kevin Waters, who’s not running for re-election. WSLC, AFSCME, IAFF 452 VoteTerriNiles.com

District 18 (Clark County)

STATE SENATOR

Adrian Cortes is a special ed teacher, and is a city council member and former mayor of Battle Ground. He’s running as a Democrat for the seat currently held by Republican Ann Rivers, who’s not running for re-election. Two Republicans are also seeking the seat: Current State Rep Greg Cheney, and Brad Benton, the son of former state lawmaker and county commissioner Don Benton. WSLC, WSBCTC VoteCortes.com

STATE REP, POSITION 1

Deken Letinich is a union construction worker and member of Laborers Local 335. He is challenging incumbent Republican state rep Stephanie McClintock. Since there are only two candidates, they’ll face each other again in November. WSLC, WSBCTC, Ironworkers 29, Laborers 335, IBEW 48, Operating Engineers 701, Insulators 36 ElectDeken.com

STATE REP, POSITION 2

John Zingale is a public school teacher running as a Democrat against two Republicans for the seat currently held by Republican Greg Cheney. Cheney is running for state senate. In a race two years ago for Position 1, Zingale garnered 48%. WSLC, WSBCTC, LiUNA 335, WEA ElectJohnZingale.com

District 49 (Vancouver)

STATE SENATOR

Annette Cleveland, a Democrat, is the incumbent state senator and has served since 2013. Her votes in the legislature earned her a 100% rating from the Washington State Labor Council in 2024 and 98% for her entire time in office. WSLC, Ironworkers 29, LiUNA 335, Teamsters 117 AnnetteCleveland.com

STATE REP, POSITION 1

Sharon Wylie, a Democrat, is the incumbent representative and has served since 2011. The Washington State Labor Council gave Wylie a 100% record of voting with working people in 2024 and 97% for her entire time in office. WSLC ElectSharon.com 

STATE REP, POSITION 2

Position 2 — Monica Stonier, a school teacher, is a Democrat and has held the seat since 2017. She earned a 100% voting record for 2024 from the Washington State Labor Council, and 98% for her entire time in office. WSLC, WSBCTC, AFT, IAFF, IBEW 48, Ironworkers 29, Teamsters 117 VoteMonicaStonier.com

LOCAL OFFICES

Clark County

Clark County Council District 3

Wil Fuentes is a program manager at Fourth Plain Forward, a nonprofit business incubator that serves Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities. SWWACLC, CPBCTC ElectWil.com

Clark County Council District 4

Matt Little is a longtime land and resource management expert and is currently public policy director for Ducks Unlimited, a wetland and waterfowl conservation nonprofit. SWWACLC, CPBCTC, IAFF 452, Laborers 335 MattLittle4ClarkCounty.org

Clark PUD Commissioner District 1

James Oneil is a business development representative at Columbia Credit Union and formerly worked for Sherwin-Williams. SWWACLC, CPBCTC, IAFF 452, IBEW 125 Oneil4PUD.com

Klickitat County

County Commissioner District 1

Amanda Kitchings is an artist, interior designer, and board member of Mountain View Grange. She’s running as an Independent and faces Republican Todd Andrews. SWWACLC, CPBCTC AmandaHoltmanKitchings.com

County Commissioner District 3

Ron Ihrig is the retired former chief operating officer of Klickitat Public Utility District. He’s challenging fellow Republican Dan Christopher, the incumbent. SWWACLC, CPBCTC

STATE SUPREME COURT

Position 2

Sal Mungia is a Tacoma attorney and former president of the Washington State Bar Association. WSLC, AFSCME, IAFF SalForJustice.com

Position 8

Steve Gonzalez is an incumbent state supreme court judge. WSLC, AFSCME JusticeGonzalez.com

Position 9

Sheryl Gordon McCloud has served as a state supreme court judge since 2012. WSLC, AFSCME, IAFF, Machinists 751 JusticeSherylMcCloud.org

LEGEND

• WSLC Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO (the state labor federation)
• WSBCTC Washington State Building and Constrution Trades Council
• SWWACLC Southwest Washington Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO (the local labor federation)
• CPBCTC Columbia Pacific Building and Constrution Trades Council
• AFSCME state, county, municipal employees
• AFT  American Federation of Teachers
• ATU  Transit Union 
• BAC  Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers
• LiUNA Washington & Northern Idaho District Council of Laborers
• IAFF Fire Fighters
• IBEW Electrical Workers
• IUPAT  Painters and Allied Trades District Council 5
• SMART Sheet Metal Workers
• WEA Washington Education Association