Elections
The Washington 2026 congressional primary is August 4, 2026. General Election Day is November 3, 2026.
Primary Election · August 4, 2026
General Election · November 3, 2026
Quick Answer
Washington has 1 U.S. House district rated a toss-up for 2026 (rating: Cook Political Report (June 2026)). These are among the seats most likely to decide control of the House.
Incumbent: Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D)
Primary August 4, 2026.
All U.S. House seats in Washington are on the 2026 ballot. Every House member runs for re-election every two years. View Washington representatives →
Washington's Senate seats are not on the ballot in 2026. Senate seats rotate on a six-year cycle — Washington's senators are in Class I or Class III, which are up in 2024/2030 and 2022/2028 respectively. Learn about Senate classes →
Washington uses a "top-two" (or "jungle") primary system. All candidates from all parties — Democrat, Republican, independent, and third-party — appear on a single primary ballot. Every registered voter participates in the same primary. The two candidates who receive the most votes advance to the November general election, regardless of party. This means two candidates of the same party can face each other in November.
| August 4, 2026 | Primary Election |
| October 2026 | Voter registration deadlines (check your state) |
| November 3, 2026 | General Election |
| January 3, 2027 | 120th Congress convenes |
All registered voters see all candidates on a single ballot. The top two vote-getters advance to the November general election, regardless of party. Registration deadlines vary — most states require registration 15–30 days before the primary, though some offer same-day registration.
Check your registration status and find your polling place at vote.gov.
See All State Primary Dates
Compare Washington's primary to other states' 2026 schedules.
The Washington 2026 congressional primary is August 4, 2026. The general election is November 3, 2026.
All registered voters see all candidates on a single ballot. The top two vote-getters advance to the November general election, regardless of party.
All U.S. House seats in Washington are on the 2026 primary ballot. Washington's U.S. Senate seats are not up for election in 2026. Most states also hold primaries for governor and state legislature on the same day.
Washington uses a "top-two" (or "jungle") primary system. All candidates from all parties — Democrat, Republican, independent, and third-party — appear on a single primary ballot. Every registered voter participates in the same primary. The two candidates who receive the most votes advance to the November general election, regardless of party. This means two candidates of the same party can face each other in November.
Voter registration deadlines vary but are typically 15–30 days before the primary. Check the Washington Secretary of State website or vote.gov for the exact deadline.
The 2026 general election is on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. This date is the same for all 50 states — it is always the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even-numbered years.
