If former President Donald Trump secures the Republican nomination for a second term in the White House, it may be primary voters in Washington state who play a crucial role. After winning a significant number of delegates on Super Tuesday, Trump is within reach of securing his party’s nod for a third time. However, to seal the deal, he will need to secure the majority of the 161 delegates at stake in Georgia, Hawaii, Mississippi, and Washington. While the polls in Georgia and Mississippi close first, their combined 99 delegates may not be sufficient, making the 43 delegate slots in Washington the deciding factor.
Despite former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley ending her nomination bid last week, Trump’s biggest obstacle on Tuesday may not be a candidate but rather Washington’s history of relatively slow vote counting. In the 2022 midterm primaries, only a little over half of the votes had been tabulated by 1 a.m. EDT. This delay in results could potentially impact the final outcome of the primary and the allocation of delegates.
President Joe Biden is also on the Democratic primary ballot in Washington. However, he faces minimal competition, including self-help author Marianne Williamson, whose campaign has had little impact on previous contests this year. Additionally, there is an “Uncommitted” ballot option that received protest votes in Michigan, Minnesota, and Hawaii, resulting in the allocation of delegates. Despite U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota dropping out of the race, his name will still appear on the ballot.
It is important for Washington voters to carefully read the instructions on their mail-in ballots, as both the Republican and Democratic presidential contests will appear side by side. Voters can only cast a vote in one race, and any attempt to vote in both contests will invalidate the ballot. The Washington presidential primary will take place on Tuesday, with polls closing at 8 p.m.
The results from Washington’s primary will play a significant role in shaping the trajectory of the Republican nomination race. If Trump can secure a substantial number of delegates from Washington, which he is expected to do, it will bring him closer to clinching the nomination and solidifying his position as the Republican candidate for the upcoming presidential election.
