EDlection 2018: Washington State Legislature Increases Blue Majority, Dems Hope to Pass Capital Gains Taxes for Education

EDlection2018: We have carefully examined numerous races for the 2018 midterms that have the potential to shape state or federal education policies. Stay updated with the latest news by subscribing to Newsletter and receive the headlines directly in your inbox.

Early results reported by The Seattle Times indicate that Democrats in the Washington state legislature were successful in expanding their narrow majorities in both the House and the Senate.

While Democrats have had control over the House, the Senate remained in the hands of the opposing party until last year’s special election, where they were able to secure an additional seat. Presently, both chambers of the state legislature have larger Democratic majorities, with projections indicating that the Democrats are set to gain seven House seats and two Senate seats. However, the outcome did not align with the projection after the August primaries.

Since Washington state conducts mail-in voting, it will take several days to count all the ballots before a final result can be determined.

Democratic Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon expressed uncertainty regarding the late returns, stating: "We don’t know how the late returns are going to go. But it’s the first election since 2006 that House Democrats will pick up seats, and our members are very excited to be moving in that direction."

Presently, the Democrats have gained seven seats in the House and two seats in the Senate. This may change, but it is evident that the Democratic party will experience gains in both chambers.

With greater control over the legislature, Democrats now have the opportunity to pass initiatives such as a capital gains tax that would impact the state’s affluent residents, potentially generating $800 million annually for services like education.

Reflecting on the Democratic wins in Washington, The Seattle Times editorial board emphasized the importance of the legislature prioritizing education. They stated: "Legislators must also continue their efforts to ensure that the state’s new K-12 school-finance model functions as intended. As part of this, they must rectify their failure to adequately fund special education, which continues to have a detrimental effect on school districts throughout the state."

Washington state had been subject to directives from the state Supreme Court for several years, demanding full funding for education. This year, the court ruled that the legislature had finally developed a funding plan that met these requirements.

In 2016, the legislature was able to pass a charter school law with bipartisan support, following the state Supreme Court’s ruling in 2015 that declared such schools unconstitutional. Recently, the court upheld most of the law, securing the future of Washington state’s twelve charter schools.

Related: A comprehensive guide to the 2018 EDlection, highlighting the important candidates, races, and winners that significantly impact education policies in the United States.

EDlection2018: We have carefully analyzed numerous races for the 2018 midterms that have the potential to shape state or federal education policies. Stay updated with the latest news by subscribing to Newsletter and receive the headlines directly in your inbox.

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michaellang

Michael Lang is a 33-year-old professor and blogger who is passionate about writing. He has been blogging for over 7 years and has written for various online publications. Michael is also a seasoned professor who has taught at the college level for over a decade. He is currently a professor of English at a community college in the Midwest.