2016 Washington gubernatorial election

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 2016 Washington gubernatorial election

| country = Washington

| type = presidential

| ongoing = no

| previous_election = 2012 Washington gubernatorial election

| previous_year = 2012

| next_election = 2020 Washington gubernatorial election

| next_year = 2020

| election_date = November 8, 2016

| image1 = File:Jay Inslee official portrait (cropped 2).jpg

| image_size = 150x150px

| candidate1 = Jay Inslee

| party1 = Democratic Party (United States)

| popular_vote1 = 1,760,520

| percentage1 = 54.25%

| image2 = File:Bill Bryant.jpg

| candidate2 = Bill Bryant

| party2 = Republican Party (United States)

| popular_vote2 = 1,476,346

| percentage2 = 45.49%

| map_image = {{switcher |275px |County results |

275px |Congressional district results |275px |Precinct results |default=1}}

| map_size = 275px

| map_caption = Inslee: {{legend0|#a5b0ff|40–50%}} {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}} {{legend0|#584cde|70–80%}} {{legend0|#3933e5|80–90%}} {{legend0|#0D0596|>90%}}
Bryant: {{legend0|#e27f7f|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60–70%}} {{legend0|#d72f30|70–80%}} {{legend0|#C21B18|80–90%}} {{legend0|#A80000|>90%}}
Tie: {{legend0|#ae8bb1|50%}} {{legend0|#808080|No data}}

| title = Governor

| before_election = Jay Inslee

| before_party = Democratic Party (United States)

| after_election = Jay Inslee

| after_party = Democratic Party (United States)

}}

The 2016 Washington gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 2016.

Under Washington's top-two primary law, all candidates appear on the same ballot, regardless of party. In the August 2 primary, residents voted for one of several candidates from a range of party affiliations. The top two finishers, incumbent Governor Jay Inslee (Democratic){{cite news|url=http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/2014/10/21/stockpiling-for-2016-gov-inslee-stages-quiet-2014-fundraiser/ |title=Stockpiling for 2016? Gov. Inslee stages quiet 2014 fundraiser|access-date=October 21, 2014|publisher=Seattle Pi|date=October 26, 2014}} and Port of Seattle Commissioner Bill Bryant (Republican), moved on to the November general election, which Inslee won. As of {{CURRENTYEAR}}, this was the last gubernatorial election in Washington in which the margin of victory was within single digits.

Background

Democratic governor Christine Gregoire declined to seek a third term in 2012. Democratic former U.S. Representative Jay Inslee was elected to succeed her, defeating Republican Rob McKenna, the outgoing Attorney General of Washington, by 51.4% to 48.3%.

Primary election

=Democratic Party=

==Declared==

James Robert Deal
Johnathan Dodds
Jay Inslee, incumbent governor
Patrick O'Rourke{{cite web|url=http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/spincontrol/2016/may/23/filing-week-day-1-lunchtime-wrapup/|title=Final list of candidates in the August primary|date=May 23, 2016|access-date=May 24, 2016|first=Jim|last=Camden|work=The Spokesman-Review}}

=Republican Party=

==Declared==

Bill Bryant, former Seattle Port Commissioner{{cite news|url=http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/port-commissioner-bill-bryant-announces-run-for-governor/|title=Port Commissioner Bill Bryant announces run for governor|work=The Seattle Times|first=Jim|last=Brunner|date=May 14, 2015|access-date=May 14, 2015}}
Goodspaceguy, perennial candidate
Bill Hirt

==Declined==

Andy Hill, state senator{{cite news|url=http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/hill-litzow-wont-challenge-inslee-in-2016/|title=Hill, Litzow won't challenge Inslee in 2016|work=The Seattle Times|first=Joseph|last=O'Sullivan|date=September 11, 2015|access-date=September 14, 2015}}
Steve Litzow, state senator (running for reelection)
Rob McKenna, former Attorney General of Washington and candidate for governor in 2012{{cite news|url=http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/state_news/former-ag-rob-mckenna-joins-law-firm/article_d6e284b6-fbd9-5e7f-9817-761986cc95c3.html|title=Former AG McKenna joins lawfirm|last=Rosenthal|first=Brian|date=February 19, 2013|newspaper=Yakima Herald|access-date=March 4, 2013}}{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20130606/NEWS01/706069918|title=If not McKenna, others could challenge Inslee in 2016|last=Cornfield|first=Jerry|date=June 6, 2013|newspaper=HeraldNet|access-date=July 10, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714220708/http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20130606/NEWS01/706069918|archive-date=July 14, 2014|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}
Dave Reichert, U.S. Representative for Washington's 8th congressional district (running for reelection){{cite news|url=http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/dave-reichert-decides-he-wont-run-against-jay-inslee-for-governor/|title=Dave Reichert decides: He won't run against Jay Inslee for governor|work=The Seattle Times|first=Jim|last=Brunner|date=October 16, 2015|access-date=October 16, 2015}}

=Third Party and independent candidates=

==Declared==

David Blomstrom (Fifth Republic)
Christian Joubert (Holistic)
Mary Martin (Socialist Workers)
Steve Rubenstein (Independent)

==Declined==

Randy Dorn, State Superintendent of Public Instruction{{cite news|url=http://q13fox.com/2016/03/09/dorn-close-to-third-party-run-for-governor/|title=State schools chief Randy Dorn close to a third-party run for governor|work=Q13 Fox|first=C.R.|last=Douglas|date=March 9, 2016|access-date=March 12, 2016}}

=Polling=

{{hidden begin|titlestyle=background:#cff|title=Hypothetical polling|contentstyle=border:solid 1px silver; padding:8px; background:white;}}

with Inslee, Bryant, and Dorn

class="wikitable"

valign= bottom

! style="width:160px;"| Poll source

! style="width:190px;"| Date(s)
administered

! class=small | Sample
size

! Margin of
error

! style="width:100px;"| Jay
Inslee (D)

! style="width:100px;"| Bill
Bryant (R)

! style="width:100px;"| Randy
Dorn (I)

! Undecided

Elway Poll[http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/poll-shows-jay-inslee-far-ahead-of-bill-bryant-in-governors-race/ Elway Poll]

| align=center| April 14–17, 2016

| align=center| 503

| align=center| ± 3.5%

| {{party shading/Democratic}} align=center| 41%

| align=center| 26%

| align=center| 7%

| align=center| 25%

=Results=

[[File:2016WAGOVprimary.svg|thumb|270px|Results by county:

]]

{{Election box begin no change

| title = Blanket primary election results{{cite web|url=https://results.vote.wa.gov/results/20160802/Governor.html|title=August 2, 2016 Primary Results - Governor|publisher=Washington Secretary of State|access-date=September 5, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160823001151/http://results.vote.wa.gov/results/current/Governor.html|archive-date=August 23, 2016|url-status=dead}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Jay Inslee (incumbent)

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| votes = 687,412

| percentage = 49.30

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| candidate = Bill Bryant

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| votes = 534,519

| percentage = 38.33

}}