2012 Washington lieutenant gubernatorial election
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November 6, 2012 | |||||||||||||||||
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  Owen: 50–60% 60–70% Finkbeiner: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
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.jpg/1280px-Brad_Owen_(cropped).jpg)
| Elections in Washington (state) |
|---|
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The 2012 Washington lieutenant gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 2012. The top-two primary was held on August 7. Washington is one of two states that holds a top-two primary, meaning that all candidates are listed on the same ballot regardless of party affiliation, and the top two move on to the general election.
Incumbent Democratic lieutenant governor Brad Owen, first elected to the office in 1996, was re-elected to his fifth and final term, defeating Republican former state Senator Bill Finkbeiner.[1]
Candidates
[edit]Democratic Party
[edit]Advanced to general
[edit]- Brad Owen, incumbent lieutenant governor (1997–2017)[2]
Republican Party
[edit]Advanced to general
[edit]- Bill Finkbeiner, former state senator (1995–2007)[3]
Eliminated in primary
[edit]- Glenn Anderson, state representative (2001–2013)[4]
Third-party and independent candidates
[edit]Eliminated in primary
[edit]- Jimmy Deal (Independent)[5]
- Clifford Mark Greene (Independent), perennial candidate[5]
- Dave T. Sumner IV (Independent)[5]
Primary election
[edit]Endorsements
[edit]Brad Owen (D)
- Newspapers
Results
[edit]
Owen
- 30–40%
- 40–50%
- 50–60%
Finkbeiner
- 30–40%
- 40–50%
Anderson
- 30–40%
Tie
- 30–40%
Owen
- 30–40%
- 40–50%
- 50–60%
- 60–70%
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Brad Owen (incumbent) | 648,110 | 48.51 | |
| Republican | Bill Finkbeiner | 352,195 | 26.36 | |
| Independent Republican | Glenn Anderson | 229,318 | 17.17 | |
| Independent | Jimmy Deal | 53,694 | 4.02 | |
| Independent | Clifford Mark Greene | 46,534 | 3.48 | |
| Independent | Dave T. Sumner IV | 6,057 | 0.45 | |
| Total votes | 1,335,908 | 100.00 | ||
General election
[edit]Polling
[edit]| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Brad Owen (D) | Bill Finkbeiner (R) | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elway Research[8] | October 18–21, 2012 | 451 (RV) | ± 4.5% | 42% | 32% | 26% |
| Elway Research[9] | September 9–12, 2012 | 405 (RV) | ± 5.0% | 43% | 27% | 29% |
Results
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Brad Owen (incumbent) | 1,575,133 | 53.68 | –7.12 | |
| Republican | Bill Finkbeiner | 1,359,212 | 46.32 | +7.12 | |
| Total votes | 2,934,345 | 100.00 | N/A | ||
| Democratic hold | |||||
By county
[edit]| County[11] | Brad Owen Democratic | Bill Finkbeiner Republican | Margin | Total votes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Adams | 1,598 | 35.38% | 2,919 | 64.62% | -1,321 | -29.25% | 4,517 |
| Asotin | 4,187 | 44.91% | 5,137 | 55.09% | -950 | -10.19% | 9,324 |
| Benton | 30,014 | 40.01% | 44,997 | 59.99% | -14,983 | -19.97% | 75,011 |
| Chelan | 12,528 | 41.16% | 17,910 | 58.84% | -5,382 | -17.68% | 30,438 |
| Clallam | 18,887 | 52.02% | 17,419 | 47.98% | 1,468 | 4.04% | 36,306 |
| Clark | 87,537 | 48.77% | 91,944 | 51.23% | -4,407 | -2.46% | 179,481 |
| Columbia | 752 | 35.69% | 1,355 | 64.31% | -603 | -28.62% | 2,107 |
| Cowlitz | 22,299 | 52.96% | 19,804 | 47.04% | 2,495 | 5.93% | 42,103 |
| Douglas | 5,360 | 37.50% | 8,934 | 62.50% | -3,574 | -25.00% | 14,294 |
| Ferry | 1,373 | 42.23% | 1,878 | 57.77% | -505 | -15.53% | 3,251 |
| Franklin | 9,085 | 41.56% | 12,775 | 58.44% | -3,690 | -16.88% | 21,860 |
| Garfield | 450 | 37.69% | 744 | 62.31% | -294 | -24.62% | 1,194 |
| Grant | 9,435 | 35.88% | 16,860 | 64.12% | -7,425 | -28.24% | 26,295 |
| Grays Harbor | 17,116 | 61.79% | 10,585 | 38.21% | 6,531 | 23.58% | 27,701 |
| Island | 20,046 | 50.31% | 19,797 | 49.69% | 249 | 0.62% | 39,843 |
| Jefferson | 11,970 | 62.98% | 7,036 | 37.02% | 4,934 | 25.96% | 19,006 |
| King | 529,218 | 59.24% | 364,133 | 40.76% | 165,085 | 18.48% | 893,351 |
| Kitsap | 64,669 | 55.08% | 52,741 | 44.92% | 11,928 | 10.16% | 117,410 |
| Kittitas | 7,722 | 45.54% | 9,235 | 54.46% | -1,513 | -8.92% | 16,957 |
| Klickitat | 4,508 | 46.27% | 5,234 | 53.73% | -726 | -7.45% | 9,742 |
| Lewis | 13,764 | 42.49% | 18,631 | 57.51% | -4,867 | -15.02% | 32,395 |
| Lincoln | 1,996 | 35.64% | 3,604 | 64.36% | -1,608 | -28.71% | 5,600 |
| Mason | 16,074 | 58.92% | 11,209 | 41.08% | 4,865 | 17.83% | 27,283 |
| Okanogan | 7,272 | 45.25% | 8,798 | 54.75% | -1,526 | -9.50% | 16,070 |
| Pacific | 5,785 | 57.68% | 4,245 | 42.32% | 1,540 | 15.35% | 10,030 |
| Pend Oreille | 2,653 | 41.85% | 3,687 | 58.15% | -1,034 | -16.31% | 6,340 |
| Pierce | 179,295 | 55.40% | 144,351 | 44.60% | 34,944 | 10.80% | 323,646 |
| San Juan | 6,216 | 62.08% | 3,797 | 37.92% | 2,419 | 24.16% | 10,013 |
| Skagit | 26,501 | 50.79% | 25,672 | 49.21% | 829 | 1.59% | 52,173 |
| Skamania | 2,494 | 48.84% | 2,612 | 51.16% | -118 | -2.31% | 5,106 |
| Snohomish | 172,154 | 55.36% | 138,836 | 44.64% | 33,318 | 10.71% | 310,990 |
| Spokane | 99,673 | 47.32% | 110,978 | 52.68% | -11,305 | -5.37% | 210,651 |
| Stevens | 7,854 | 37.04% | 13,351 | 62.96% | -5,497 | -25.92% | 21,205 |
| Thurston | 70,353 | 58.42% | 50,078 | 41.58% | 20,275 | 16.84% | 120,431 |
| Wahkiakum | 1,103 | 51.93% | 1,021 | 48.07% | 82 | 3.86% | 2,124 |
| Walla Walla | 9,684 | 41.08% | 13,892 | 58.92% | -4,208 | -17.85% | 23,576 |
| Whatcom | 50,174 | 51.85% | 46,598 | 48.15% | 3,576 | 3.70% | 96,772 |
| Whitman | 7,499 | 46.87% | 8,501 | 53.13% | -1,002 | -6.26% | 16,000 |
| Yakima | 35,835 | 48.59% | 37,914 | 51.41% | -2,079 | -2.82% | 73,749 |
| Totals | 1,575,133 | 53.68% | 1,359,212 | 46.32% | 215,921 | 7.36% | 2,934,345 |
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
- Asotin (largest city: Clarkston)
- Clark (largest city: Vancouver)
- Kittitas (largest city: Ellensburg)
- Klickitat (largest city: Goldendale)
- Lewis (largest city: Centralia)
- Okanogan (largest city: Omak)
- Skamania (largest city: Carson)
- Spokane (largest city: Spokane)
- Walla Walla (largest city: Walla Walla)
- Whitman (largest city: Pullman)
- Yakima (largest city: Yakima)
By congressional district
[edit]Owen won six of ten congressional districts.[12]
| District | Owen | Finkbeiner | Representative |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 50.5% | 49.5% | Suzan DelBene |
| 2nd | 57% | 43% | Rick Larsen |
| 3rd | 49% | 51% | Jaime Herrera Beutler |
| 4th | 42% | 58% | Doc Hastings |
| 5th | 46% | 54% | Cathy McMorris Rodgers |
| 6th | 58% | 42% | Derek Kilmer |
| 7th | 63% | 37% | Jim McDermott |
| 8th | 49% | 51% | Dave Reichert |
| 9th | 62% | 38% | Adam Smith |
| 10th | 57% | 43% | Denny Heck |
References
[edit]- ^ https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/inslee-to-be-next-washington-governor-as-gops-mckenna-concedes-race
- ^ https://columbiabasinherald.com/news/2012/apr/24/lt-governor-brad-owen-plans-to-run-for-fifth-2/
- ^ https://www.kirklandreporter.com/news/former-gop-sen-finkbeiner-of-kirkland-to-run-for-lieutenant-governor/
- ^ https://patch.com/washington/sammamish/anderson-officially-announces-campaign-for-lieutenant-governor
- ^ a b c "2012 Primary Candidates Who Have Filed". eledataweb.votewa.gov. Retrieved November 3, 2025.
- ^ Editorial Board, The Seattle Times (June 18, 2012). "The Times recommends: Re-elect Lt. Gov. Brad Owen". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved November 3, 2025.
- ^ Reed, Sam (August 7, 2012). "Lt. Governor". Secretary of State of Washington. Archived from the original on October 7, 2025. Retrieved November 3, 2025.
- ^ Elway Research
- ^ Elway Research
- ^ Reed, Sam (November 6, 2012). "Lt. Governor". Secretary of State of Washington. Archived from the original on May 21, 2025. Retrieved November 3, 2025.
- ^ Reed, Sam (November 6, 2012). "Lt. Governor - County Results". Secretary of State of Washington. Archived from the original on June 16, 2025. Retrieved November 3, 2025.
- ^ "2012 General Data". sos.wa.gov. Archived from the original on September 10, 2024.
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November 6, 2012 | |||||||||||||||||
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Owen: 50–60% 60–70% Finkbeiner: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Washington (state) |
|---|
 |
The 2012 Washington lieutenant gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 2012. The top-two primary was held on August 7. Washington is one of two states that holds a top-two primary, meaning that all candidates are listed on the same ballot regardless of party affiliation, and the top two move on to the general election.
Incumbent Democratic lieutenant governor Brad Owen, first elected to the office in 1996, was re-elected to his fifth and final term, defeating Republican former state Senator Bill Finkbeiner.[1]
Candidates
Democratic Party
Advanced to general
- Brad Owen, incumbent lieutenant governor (1997–2017)[2]
Republican Party
Advanced to general
- Bill Finkbeiner, former state senator (1995–2007)[3]
Eliminated in primary
- Glenn Anderson, state representative (2001–2013)[4]
Third-party and independent candidates
Eliminated in primary
- Jimmy Deal (Independent)[5]
- Clifford Mark Greene (Independent), perennial candidate[5]
- Dave T. Sumner IV (Independent)[5]
Primary election
Endorsements
Brad Owen (D)
- Newspapers
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Brad Owen (incumbent) | 648,110 | 48.51 | |
| Republican | Bill Finkbeiner | 352,195 | 26.36 | |
| Independent Republican | Glenn Anderson | 229,318 | 17.17 | |
| Independent | Jimmy Deal | 53,694 | 4.02 | |
| Independent | Clifford Mark Greene | 46,534 | 3.48 | |
| Independent | Dave T. Sumner IV | 6,057 | 0.45 | |
| Total votes | 1,335,908 | 100.00 | ||
General election
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Brad Owen (D) | Bill Finkbeiner (R) | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elway Research[8] | October 18–21, 2012 | 451 (RV) | ± 4.5% | 42% | 32% | 26% |
| Elway Research[9] | September 9–12, 2012 | 405 (RV) | ± 5.0% | 43% | 27% | 29% |
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Brad Owen (incumbent) | 1,575,133 | 53.68 | –7.12 | |
| Republican | Bill Finkbeiner | 1,359,212 | 46.32 | +7.12 | |
| Total votes | 2,934,345 | 100.00 | N/A | ||
| Democratic hold | |||||
By county
| County[11] | Brad Owen Democratic | Bill Finkbeiner Republican | Margin | Total votes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Adams | 1,598 | 35.38% | 2,919 | 64.62% | -1,321 | -29.25% | 4,517 |
| Asotin | 4,187 | 44.91% | 5,137 | 55.09% | -950 | -10.19% | 9,324 |
| Benton | 30,014 | 40.01% | 44,997 | 59.99% | -14,983 | -19.97% | 75,011 |
| Chelan | 12,528 | 41.16% | 17,910 | 58.84% | -5,382 | -17.68% | 30,438 |
| Clallam | 18,887 | 52.02% | 17,419 | 47.98% | 1,468 | 4.04% | 36,306 |
| Clark | 87,537 | 48.77% | 91,944 | 51.23% | -4,407 | -2.46% | 179,481 |
| Columbia | 752 | 35.69% | 1,355 | 64.31% | -603 | -28.62% | 2,107 |
| Cowlitz | 22,299 | 52.96% | 19,804 | 47.04% | 2,495 | 5.93% | 42,103 |
| Douglas | 5,360 | 37.50% | 8,934 | 62.50% | -3,574 | -25.00% | 14,294 |
| Ferry | 1,373 | 42.23% | 1,878 | 57.77% | -505 | -15.53% | 3,251 |
| Franklin | 9,085 | 41.56% | 12,775 | 58.44% | -3,690 | -16.88% | 21,860 |
| Garfield | 450 | 37.69% | 744 | 62.31% | -294 | -24.62% | 1,194 |
| Grant | 9,435 | 35.88% | 16,860 | 64.12% | -7,425 | -28.24% | 26,295 |
| Grays Harbor | 17,116 | 61.79% | 10,585 | 38.21% | 6,531 | 23.58% | 27,701 |
| Island | 20,046 | 50.31% | 19,797 | 49.69% | 249 | 0.62% | 39,843 |
| Jefferson | 11,970 | 62.98% | 7,036 | 37.02% | 4,934 | 25.96% | 19,006 |
| King | 529,218 | 59.24% | 364,133 | 40.76% | 165,085 | 18.48% | 893,351 |
| Kitsap | 64,669 | 55.08% | 52,741 | 44.92% | 11,928 | 10.16% | 117,410 |
| Kittitas | 7,722 | 45.54% | 9,235 | 54.46% | -1,513 | -8.92% | 16,957 |
| Klickitat | 4,508 | 46.27% | 5,234 | 53.73% | -726 | -7.45% | 9,742 |
| Lewis | 13,764 | 42.49% | 18,631 | 57.51% | -4,867 | -15.02% | 32,395 |
| Lincoln | 1,996 | 35.64% | 3,604 | 64.36% | -1,608 | -28.71% | 5,600 |
| Mason | 16,074 | 58.92% | 11,209 | 41.08% | 4,865 | 17.83% | 27,283 |
| Okanogan | 7,272 | 45.25% | 8,798 | 54.75% | -1,526 | -9.50% | 16,070 |
| Pacific | 5,785 | 57.68% | 4,245 | 42.32% | 1,540 | 15.35% | 10,030 |
| Pend Oreille | 2,653 | 41.85% | 3,687 | 58.15% | -1,034 | -16.31% | 6,340 |
| Pierce | 179,295 | 55.40% | 144,351 | 44.60% | 34,944 | 10.80% | 323,646 |
| San Juan | 6,216 | 62.08% | 3,797 | 37.92% | 2,419 | 24.16% | 10,013 |
| Skagit | 26,501 | 50.79% | 25,672 | 49.21% | 829 | 1.59% | 52,173 |
| Skamania | 2,494 | 48.84% | 2,612 | 51.16% | -118 | -2.31% | 5,106 |
| Snohomish | 172,154 | 55.36% | 138,836 | 44.64% | 33,318 | 10.71% | 310,990 |
| Spokane | 99,673 | 47.32% | 110,978 | 52.68% | -11,305 | -5.37% | 210,651 |
| Stevens | 7,854 | 37.04% | 13,351 | 62.96% | -5,497 | -25.92% | 21,205 |
| Thurston | 70,353 | 58.42% | 50,078 | 41.58% | 20,275 | 16.84% | 120,431 |
| Wahkiakum | 1,103 | 51.93% | 1,021 | 48.07% | 82 | 3.86% | 2,124 |
| Walla Walla | 9,684 | 41.08% | 13,892 | 58.92% | -4,208 | -17.85% | 23,576 |
| Whatcom | 50,174 | 51.85% | 46,598 | 48.15% | 3,576 | 3.70% | 96,772 |
| Whitman | 7,499 | 46.87% | 8,501 | 53.13% | -1,002 | -6.26% | 16,000 |
| Yakima | 35,835 | 48.59% | 37,914 | 51.41% | -2,079 | -2.82% | 73,749 |
| Totals | 1,575,133 | 53.68% | 1,359,212 | 46.32% | 215,921 | 7.36% | 2,934,345 |
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
- Asotin (largest city: Clarkston)
- Clark (largest city: Vancouver)
- Kittitas (largest city: Ellensburg)
- Klickitat (largest city: Goldendale)
- Lewis (largest city: Centralia)
- Okanogan (largest city: Omak)
- Skamania (largest city: Carson)
- Spokane (largest city: Spokane)
- Walla Walla (largest city: Walla Walla)
- Whitman (largest city: Pullman)
- Yakima (largest city: Yakima)
.jpg){kind=link}
By congressional district
Owen won six of ten congressional districts.[12]
| District | Owen | Finkbeiner | Representative |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 50.5% | 49.5% | Suzan DelBene |
| 2nd | 57% | 43% | Rick Larsen |
| 3rd | 49% | 51% | Jaime Herrera Beutler |
| 4th | 42% | 58% | Doc Hastings |
| 5th | 46% | 54% | Cathy McMorris Rodgers |
| 6th | 58% | 42% | Derek Kilmer |
| 7th | 63% | 37% | Jim McDermott |
| 8th | 49% | 51% | Dave Reichert |
| 9th | 62% | 38% | Adam Smith |
| 10th | 57% | 43% | Denny Heck |
References
- ^ https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/inslee-to-be-next-washington-governor-as-gops-mckenna-concedes-race
- ^ https://columbiabasinherald.com/news/2012/apr/24/lt-governor-brad-owen-plans-to-run-for-fifth-2/
- ^ https://www.kirklandreporter.com/news/former-gop-sen-finkbeiner-of-kirkland-to-run-for-lieutenant-governor/
- ^ https://patch.com/washington/sammamish/anderson-officially-announces-campaign-for-lieutenant-governor
- ^ a b c "2012 Primary Candidates Who Have Filed". eledataweb.votewa.gov. Retrieved November 3, 2025.
- ^ Editorial Board, The Seattle Times (June 18, 2012). "The Times recommends: Re-elect Lt. Gov. Brad Owen". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved November 3, 2025.
- ^ Reed, Sam (August 7, 2012). "Lt. Governor". Secretary of State of Washington. Archived from the original on October 7, 2025. Retrieved November 3, 2025.
- ^ Elway Research
- ^ Elway Research
- ^ Reed, Sam (November 6, 2012). "Lt. Governor". Secretary of State of Washington. Archived from the original on May 21, 2025. Retrieved November 3, 2025.
- ^ Reed, Sam (November 6, 2012). "Lt. Governor - County Results". Secretary of State of Washington. Archived from the original on June 16, 2025. Retrieved November 3, 2025.
- ^ "2012 General Data". sos.wa.gov. Archived from the original on September 10, 2024.