The 2000 Washington gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 2000. Incumbent Democratic governor Gary Locke defeated the Republican candidate John Carlson for his second term in a landslide.

, this was the earliest gubernatorial election in Washington in which both candidates are currently still living. This is the last time a Democratic nominee for governor outperformed the Democratic nominee for president in Washington. This is also the last time that the counties of Asotin, Klickitat, Mason, Pend Oreille, Skamania, Spokane, Wahkiakum and Walla Walla voted for the Democratic candidate in a gubernatorial election.

This would also be the last gubernatorial election in Washington in which the margin of victory was in double digits and in which any counties in Eastern Washington voted for a Democrat until Jay Inslee's 2020 landslide victory. This is the last and the most recent Washington gubernatorial election in which the winning candidate carried a majority of Washington's counties.

Primary election Candidates Democratic Gary Locke, incumbent governor of Washington Meta Heller

Republican John Carlson, talk radio host on KVI-AM Harold Hochstatter, state senator

Libertarian Steve W. LePage

Results

General election Candidates Gary Locke (D), incumbent Governor of Washington John Carlson (R), talk radio host on KVI-AM Steve W. LePage (L)

Debates Complete video of debate, September 28, 2000 - C-SPAN Complete video of debate, October 11, 2000 - C-SPAN Complete video of debate, October 23, 2000 - C-SPAN

Results

By county Kittitas County voted for the losing candidate for the first time since 1948. Locke is the most recent Democrat to win the following counties: Asotin, Klickitat, Mason, Pend Oreille, Skamania, Spokane, Wahkiakum, and Walla Walla. Whitman County would not vote Democratic again until 2020. Clallam County would not vote Democratic again until 2024.

CountyGary LockeDemocraticJohn CarlsonRepublicanSteve W. LePageLibertarianMarginTotal votes cast#%#%#%#%Adams2,25045.49%2,62953.15%671.35%-379-7.66%4,946Asotin4,71859.64%3,07038.81%1231.55%1,64820.83%7,911Benton28,89248.72%29,24549.32%1,1651.96%-353-0.60%59,302Chelan10,98441.69%14,97056.82%3911.48%-3,986-15.13%26,345Clallam17,12853.93%13,79543.43%8392.64%3,33310.49%31,762Clark71,99854.20%57,46443.26%3,3822.55%14,53410.94%132,844Columbia95045.28%1,11653.19%321.53%-166-7.91%2,098Cowlitz20,91957.28%14,58939.95%1,0102.77%6,33017.33%36,518Douglas5,14940.12%7,45458.08%2321.81%-2,305-17.96%12,835Ferry1,25441.62%1,62453.90%1354.48%-370-12.28%3,013Franklin6,75748.53%6,83249.07%3332.39%-75-0.54%13,922Garfield64448.42%64648.57%403.01%-2-0.15%1,330Grant9,49140.05%13,67357.70%5312.24%-4,182-17.65%23,695Grays Harbor15,81760.93%9,56636.85%5782.23%6,25124.08%25,961Island17,73654.31%14,38144.04%5411.66%3,35510.27%32,658Jefferson9,71261.71%5,62835.76%3982.53%4,08425.95%15,738King522,22966.46%250,10331.83%13,4751.71%272,12634.63%785,807Kitsap58,60356.94%42,35841.15%1,9661.91%16,24515.78%102,927Kittitas6,42345.88%7,26251.87%3152.25%-839-5.99%14,000Klickitat4,27853.48%3,46843.36%2533.16%81010.13%7,999Lewis12,54542.18%16,42255.21%7772.61%-3,877-13.03%29,744Lincoln2,08340.20%2,98457.58%1152.22%-901-17.39%5,182Mason12,31955.27%9,47342.50%4972.23%2,84612.77%22,289Okanogan5,62638.36%8,55958.36%4813.28%-2,933-20.00%14,666Pacific5,51958.68%3,64338.73%2442.59%1,87619.94%9,406Pend Oreille2,62148.76%2,59048.19%1643.05%310.58%5,375Pierce148,45055.60%113,63342.56%4,9001.84%34,81713.04%266,983San Juan5,38564.83%2,68432.31%2372.85%2,70132.52%8,306Skagit24,19153.70%19,99044.37%8711.93%4,2019.32%45,052Skamania2,14853.25%1,65641.05%2305.70%49212.20%4,034Snohomish142,19656.89%102,99341.21%4,7561.90%39,20315.68%249,945Spokane99,49257.85%69,84840.61%2,6521.54%29,64417.24%171,992Stevens7,42641.64%9,87155.35%5363.01%-2,445-13.71%17,833Thurston58,91561.07%35,40436.70%2,1472.23%23,51124.37%96,466Wahkiakum1,11257.00%77039.47%693.54%34217.53%1,951Walla Walla10,86951.31%9,93646.90%3801.79%9334.40%21,185Whatcom42,31358.22%28,86139.71%1,5002.06%13,45218.51%72,674Whitman9,11356.75%6,67641.57%2691.68%2,43715.18%16,058Yakima33,71848.80%34,19449.48%1,1881.72%-476-0.69%69,100Totals1,441,97358.38%980,06039.68%47,8191.94%461,91318.70%2,469,852

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Clallam (largest city: Port Angeles) Klickitat (Largest city: Goldendale) Pend Oreille (Largest city: Newport)

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Kittitas (Largest city: Ellensburg)

References

External links Official campaign websites (archived) Gary Locke (D) for Governor John Carlson (R) for Governor