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"We are delighted with the robust turnout for the Washington Presidential Primary. It is a big win for the voters, who continue to embrace this inclusive and broad-based way to have their voices heard.

"The turnout, already 1.2 million strong and more than 28 percent of the 4.1 million ballots issued, will continue to grow as the 39 counties continue counting votes this week. The outstanding participation rate, far stronger than we saw for the caucuses, shows that our voters are fired up about the presidential race and want to be consulted about who will be our next president. It is particularly amazing and gratifying, given the lateness of the primary on the national election calendar. Despite the fact that both parties have presumptive nominees and the Democrats declined to use the results to allocate national convention delegates this year, voters turned out in droves.

"Clearly, voters wanted a voice, and the Presidential Primary provided that opportunity. Voters from both parties embraced the primary. Although Democrats knew the results were not binding on their national delegates, nearly 700,000 of them cast ballots as of Election Night, compared with about 490,000 Republicans. Interestingly, the Democrats’ primary results differ from those of the substantially less-attended caucuses.

"I call on the 2017 Legislature to move quickly, in bipartisan fashion, to move the Presidential Primary date to the front end of the election season, the second Tuesday in March, and I call on both parties to use the primary results for allocating national delegates, beginning in 2020."