(The Center Square) – Campaigns to persuade Washington state voters to reject three upcoming ballot initiatives are intensifying.
Initiative 2117 seeks to repeal the state’s Climate Commitment Act, Initiative 2109 aims to repeal the state’s capital gains tax, and Initiative 2124 would allow residents to opt out of the mandatory long-term care benefit program.
Separate campaigns are addressing each measure—No on 2117, No on 2109, and No on 2124—with an overarching campaign, Defend Washington, targeting all three.
Defend Washington spokesperson Sandeep Kaushik asserts that recent polling suggests voters will reject all three initiatives.
“People don’t want to see cuts to funding for air and water protection, schools, early learning, or long-term care for workers and seniors,” Kaushik told The Center Square.
The poll, conducted from April 11-14 via phone and web interviews, sampled 600 likely voters from a voter file. The demographic composition included 30% conservatives, 27% liberals, and 38% moderates.
Results showed less than 50% support for each measure, with more voters opposing than supporting.
Fewer than a quarter of voters stated they were “definitely” in favor of each initiative.
“Even if people initially favor these measures, they recognize the major cuts they would cause as a huge impediment,” Kaushik explained.
Regarding the hundreds of thousands who signed petitions to place the initiatives on the ballot, Kaushik said, “Signatures don’t necessarily reflect actual popularity.”
He added, “Paid signature gatherers can collect signatures. Brian Heywood has spent millions to get these initiatives on the ballot. That doesn’t indicate broad electoral support in Washington.”
Heywood, a hedge fund executive, funded the ballot initiatives through voter advocacy group Let’s Go Washington.
This week, Heywood told The Center Square that internal polling indicates all three initiatives are likely to pass.
He cited the significant number of people who opted out of the state’s mandatory long-term care plan, WA Cares, as evidence of the plan’s unpopularity.
“Five hundred thousand people opted out before the deadline, and now the state says, ‘You’re stuck in it forever.’ That’s patently unfair,” Heywood argued.
The figure excludes those who signed the petition for I-2124.
“We have 420,000 signatures saying they want out, too,” Heywood noted.
“They can defend the plan all they want, but it doesn’t provide long-term care. It covers two or three months at most. People thinking they’re covered by this state plan will be rudely awakened,” he added.
Despite the hopeful Defend Washington poll results, Kaushik emphasizes no assumptions are being made.
“We believe these measures are destructive and harmful to Washington state. We’re building a broad and growing coalition to oppose them,” he said.
Hallie Balch, spokesperson for Let’s Go Washington, disagreed.
“Opposition can deny the truth, but over 800,000 people signed these initiatives, and 57% were Democrats and independents,” she said. “There’s wide support because people are tired of paying for ineffective programs. We support the environment, education, and long-term care for seniors, but these programs haven’t delivered, yet we’re still paying. That’s insane.”
