Trump & Clinton winning WA PrezPrimaries
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Washington voters turned out in droves for the first running of the state Presidential Primary in eight years. Election Night results included 1.2 million votes for Democratic and Republican candidates for the White House, more than 28 percent of the state's registered voters.
Those numbers will swell as more returns are counted this week. Secretary of State Kim Wyman, the state's chief elections officer, called the turnout "particularly amazing and gratifying, given the lateness of the primary on the national election calendar."
Wyman added:
"Despite the fact that both parties have presumptive nominees and the Democrats declined to use the results to allocate national conventions this year, voters turned out in droves. Clearly, voters wanted a voice, and the Presidential Primary provided that opportunity."
Wyman called on the Legislature to move the default date for the primary from the fourth Tuesday in May to the second Tuesday in March, and urged both parties to choose to use the primary results, starting in 2020. Republicans allocated all of their national delegates with the primary results; Democrats stuck with the old caucus process.
Donald Trump, the only GOP candidates still actively seeking the nomination, swept all 39 counties, with 76 percent of the statewide total. Ted Cruz and John Kasich trailed with 10 percent apiece, and Ben Carson polled 4 percent.
On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton was winning with 54 percent, well ahead of Bernie Sanders, who had 46 percent. This was a turnaround from the caucus outcome, where Sanders swamped Clinton with 73 percent.
Counties will continue counting in the days ahead, completing most of the count by Friday afternoon. Counties will certify their results by June 7; Wyman's office will certify the election by June 10.
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Secretary of State
Steve Hobbs
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