Top Two Primary: FAQs for Voters
Frequently asked questions about Washington's top-two primary.
- What is a top-two primary?
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Washington’s top-two primary in August is a type of election that narrows down the list of candidates for the general election in November.
The presidential primary is not part of the top-two primary.
- How does the top-two primary work?
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The two candidates with the most votes will appear on the general election ballot even if they have the same party preference.
You can vote for any candidate even if you do not prefer the same political party.
- What is a party preference?
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Candidates for partisan office may state a preference for a political party, which appears on ballots and in voters' pamphlets.
Candidates can describe the party they prefer when they file for office; they can also choose to state no party preference.
A candidate's preference does not imply that the candidate is nominated or endorsed by the party, or that the party approves of or associates with that candidate.
- Which offices are affected?
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The top-two primary applies to all offices except:
- President and Vice President;
- Political Party Precinct Committee Officer (PCO); or
- Charter Review or Freeholder.
- How does this affect nonpartisan offices?
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Candidates for nonpartisan positions cannot state a party preference. Elections for nonpartisan offices, such as city council or judge, move directly to the general election if two or fewer candidates file.
The two candidates in a nonpartisan race who receive the most votes in the primary are the only candidates allowed to advance to the general election.
- If only one or two candidates file for an office, do they still have a primary?
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For partisan office, yes. There is still a primary even if only one or two candidates file.
For nonpartisan office, the candidates will only appear in the general election.
- Will there be both a Democrat and a Republican in each race on the ballot at the general election?
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Not necessarily. No party is guaranteed a spot on the general election ballot. The two candidates who appear on the ballot at the general election are the two who received the most votes in the primary.
These candidates might prefer the same party, different parties, or not state a preference. It’s possible for all candidates in a race to have declared the same party preference.
- What is the difference between a top-two primary and the primary elections in other states?
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Most other states in the country conduct nominating primaries in which voters select each party's nominee.
In Washington’s top-two primary, any candidate can file for office and appear on the primary ballot. The two candidates with the most votes will advance to the general election.
- How did the top-two primary become law?
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The top-two primary was passed by voters in 2004 as Initiative 872 and received almost 60% of the vote.
In 2005, before the new law was implemented, the Washington state Democratic, Republican, and Libertarian parties sued in federal court, arguing that the law allowed anyone to appear on the ballot as a candidate for a political party without that party’s consent.
The lower courts imposed an injunction prohibiting the state from implementing the new primary, but in March 2008, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the new law. Washington state used the new primary for the first time in the 2008 Primary and General Elections.
- Can I write in a name that’s not on the ballot?
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Yes. Each race on the ballot has a write-in line for you to write in the name of a candidate.
Candidates must submit a declaration of write-in candidacy to have officials tally their votes. Officials only tally individual write-in votes if the total number of write-in votes is high enough to make a difference in the race.
- How do I change my political party affiliation?
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Voters in Washington do not choose a party when registering to vote. If you want to become a member of a political party, contact the party directly.