Although Washington’s Paramount Duty is not endorsing candidates for office this year, several parent volunteers helped put together a short questionnaire we sent to all candidates for the state legislature. After several rounds of emails, calls, and text messages, sixty-nine campaigns responded.
These questionnaire results are public, and we’re sharing them with you now to help you make an informed decision in this critical election. The future of public education is on the line.
Candidates were asked yes/no/maybe questions, and given a chance to provide written details explaining their answer to each question. Here are the overall results of the questionnaire:
• 70% believe that our public schools are not amply funded as required by the state constitution
• 81% said they would vote for new, progressive revenue to sustainably fund our public schools
• 67% said they would vote to prevent cuts caused by the upcoming levy cliff
• 80% said they would vote to change the 2017 education funding deal (HB 2242) and add more funding to eliminate inequities between districts as well as ensure districts have the money they actually need to give every child a great education
• 77% said they would vote to fully implement Initiative 1351, which reduces class sizes and funds key support staff, including nurses and librarians
• 91% said they would vote to fully fund special education
• 86% said they support a simple majority vote for school construction bonds
• 74% said they oppose school vouchers
• 73% said they would oppose raising the number of charter schools allowed in our state
Below are the names of the candidates who responded to our questionnaire by the deadline. Click their names to view their responses. *Denotes late response
1st District
State House Position 1
State House Position 2
Shelley Kloba (D)
Debra Blodgett (R)
4th District
State House Position 1
State House Position 2
5th District
State House Position 1
Chad Magendanz (R) told us he would not fill out the questionnaire.
6th District
State Senator
State House Position 1
State House Position 2
7th District
State Senator
State House Position 1
State House Position 2
8th District
State House Position 1
Matt Boehnke (R)
Shir Regev (D)
State House Position 2
9th District
State House Position 1
State House Position 2
10th District
State House Position 1
11th District
State House Position 1
14th District
State House Position 1
State House Position 2
16th District
State House Position 1
17th District
State House Position 1
18th District
State House Position 1
State House Position 2
19th District
State House Position 1
20th District
State House Position 1
22nd District
State House Position 1
25th District
State House Position 1
26th District
State House Position 1
27th District
State House Position 2
Jake Fey (D)
Donald Golden (I)
28th District
State House Position 1
State House Position 2
30th District
State House Position 1
State House Position 2
31st District
State House Position 1
32nd District
State Senator
Maralyn Chase (D)*
Jesse Salomon (D) told us he would not fill out the questionnaire.
State House Position 1
State House Position 2
Frank Deisler (R)
Lauren Davis (D)*
33rd District
State Senator
34th District
State Senator
35th District
State Senator
State House Position 1
State House Position 2
36th District
State Senator
State House Position 1
Noel Christina Frame (D)
Sydney Gillman Wissel (L)
State House Position 2
37th District
State Senator
38th District
State House Position 2
39th District
State Senator
State House Position 1
40th District
State House Position 1
41st District
State House Position 2
42nd District
State House Position 1
State House Position 2
43rd District
State Senator
State House Position 1
State House Position 2
44th District
State House Position 1
State House Position 2
45th District
State Senator
State House Position 2
46th District
State Senator
State House Position 1
47th District
State Senator
State House Position 1
49th District
State House Position 1
