The 2024 Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction election was held on November 5, 2024, to elect the superintendent of public instruction of Washington, concurrently with the 2024 U.S. presidential election, as well as elections to the U.S. Senate and various state and local elections, including for U.S. House and governor of Washington. Incumbent Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal was re-elected to a third term, defeating challenger David Olson with 53% of the vote.https://www.fox13seattle.com/election/chris-reykdal-reelected While the race was officially non-partisan, Reykdal identified as a Democrat, while Olson identified as a Republican.

Background Incumbent Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal, first elected in 2016 with 51% of the vote and re-elected in 2020 with 55% of the vote, ran for re-election to a third term in office.

Primary election Washington is one of two states that holds a top-two primary, meaning all candidates are listed on the same ballot regardless of party affiliation, and the top two advance to the general election.

Candidates Advanced to general Chris Reykdal, incumbent state superintendent, former state representative, and former world history teacherhttps://www.kuow.org/stories/washington-superintendent-chris-reykdal-will-run-for-re-election-in-2024 David Olson, president of the Peninsula School District boardhttps://www.seattletimes.com/education-lab/pandemic-still-at-forefront-of-wa-state-schools-superintendent-race/

Eliminated in primary John Blair, perennial candidate and former high school teacher Reid Saaris, founder of nonprofit Equal Opportunity Schools and former teacher

Withdrew Brad Klippert, former state representative Chad Magendanz, former state representative and computer science teacher

Endorsements

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin ChrisReykdal JohnBlair DavidOlson ReidSaaris UndecidedPublic Policy Polling (D)Public Policy Polling (D)July 24–25, 2024581 (LV)± 4.0%14%4%7%2%74%

Forum + 2024 Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction primary election candidate forum Date Host Moderator Link Nonpartisan Nonpartisan Nonpartisan Nonpartisan NonpartisanKey: Participant  Absent  Not invited  Invited Withdrawn Chris Reykdal John Blair Chad Magendanz David Olson Reid Saaris1 May 20, 2024 League of Women Votersof Washington Renee Radcliff Sinclair TVW

Results

General election Post-primary endorsements

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin ChrisReykdal DavidOlson UndecidedPublic Policy Polling (D)Public Policy Polling (D)October 16–17, 2024571 (LV)± 4.1%21%18%61%

Debates + 2024 Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction general election debates Date Host Moderator Link Nonpartisan NonpartisanKey: Participant  Absent  Not invited  Invited Withdrawn Chris Reykdal David Olson1 Sep. 18, 2024 Association of Washington Business Renee Radcliff Sinclair TVW 2 Sep. 26, 2024 Washington State Debate Coalition Kellyanna BrookingVenice BuhainJohn HopperstadSami West TVW 3 Oct. 5, 2024 League of Women Votersof Washington Ann Dornfeld TVW

Results

By county CountyChris ReykdalDemocraticDavid OlsonRepublicanWrite-inVariousMarginTotal#%#%#%#% Adams 1,542 32.97% 3,072 65.68% 63 1.35% -1,530 -32.71% 4,677 Asotin 3,816 40.19% 5,613 59.12% 66 0.70% -1,797 -18.93% 9,495 Benton 36,399 41.51% 50,826 57.96% 467 0.53% -14,427 -16.45% 87,692 Chelan 15,618 44.87% 19,007 54.61% 180 0.52% -3,389 -9.74% 34,805 Clallam 19,434 48.78% 20,253 50.84% 152 0.38% -819 -2.06% 39,839 Clark 106,328 47.40% 116,201 51.80% 1,815 0.81% -9,873 -4.40% 224,344 Columbia 668 32.60% 1,361 66.42% 20 0.98% -693 -33.82% 2,049 Cowlitz 19,150 38.36% 30,441 60.98% 330 0.66% -11,291 -22.62% 49,921 Douglas 7,049 39.56% 10,661 59.84% 107 0.60% -3,612 -20.27% 17,817 Ferry 1,283 37.48% 2,127 62.14% 13 0.38% -844 -24.66% 3,423 Franklin 10,348 38.23% 16,607 61.35% 114 0.42% -6,259 -23.12% 27,069 Garfield 402 35.92% 715 63.90% 2 0.18% -313 -27.97% 1,119 Grant 10,150 32.43% 21,006 67.12% 142 0.45% -10,856 -34.69% 31,298 Grays Harbor 13,678 43.77% 17,369 55.59% 200 0.64% -3,691 -11.81% 31,247 Island 22,821 52.46% 20,378 46.85% 299 0.69% 2,443 5.62% 43,498 Jefferson 13,419 64.07% 7,430 35.48% 95 0.45% 5,989 28.60% 20,944 King 625,058 65.69% 321,418 33.78% 5,099 0.54% 303,640 31.91% 951,575 Kitsap 66,824 51.15% 63,106 48.30% 719 0.55% 3,718 2.85% 130,649 Kittitas 9,059 42.18% 12,252 57.05% 164 0.76% -3,193 -14.87% 21,475 Klickitat 4,457 40.46% 6,488 58.89% 72 0.65% -2,031 -18.44% 11,017 Lewis 13,524 35.65% 24,190 63.77% 220 0.58% -10,666 -28.12% 37,934 Lincoln 1,978 32.43% 4,081 66.90% 41 0.67% -2,103 -34.48% 6,100 Mason 12,875 42.43% 17,204 56.70% 263 0.87% -4,329 -14.27% 30,342 Okanogan 7,992 44.80% 9,742 54.60% 107 0.60% -1,750 -9.81% 17,841 Pacific 5,122 44.56% 6,295 54.77% 77 0.67% -1,173 -10.21% 11,494 Pend Oreille 2,387 33.39% 4,703 65.79% 58 0.81% -2,316 -32.40% 7,148 Pierce 180,464 47.54% 196,911 51.87% 2,223 0.59% -16,447 -4.33% 379,598 San Juan 6,911 66.28% 3,445 33.04% 71 0.68% 3,466 33.24% 10,427 Skagit 27,562 47.86% 29,739 51.64% 283 0.49% -2,177 -3.78% 57,584 Skamania 2,384 40.01% 3,523 59.12% 52 0.87% -1,139 -19.11% 5,959 Snohomish 181,910 51.75% 167,722 47.71% 1,889 0.54% 14,188 4.04% 351,521 Spokane 111,729 46.27% 128,086 53.04% 1,665 0.69% -16,357 -6.77% 241,480 Stevens 7,222 29.52% 17,089 69.86% 150 0.61% -9,867 -40.34% 24,461 Thurston 80,037 55.33% 63,566 43.95% 1,041 0.72% 16,471 11.39% 144,644 Wahkiakum 1,056 41.79% 1,456 57.62% 15 0.59% -400 -15.83% 2,527 Walla Walla 11,678 46.21% 13,493 53.40% 98 0.39% -1,815 -7.18% 25,269 Whatcom 64,300 55.16% 51,807 44.45% 455 0.39% 12,493 10.72% 116,562 Whitman 8,716 51.54% 8,088 47.82% 108 0.64% 628 3.71% 16,912 Yakima 31,498 40.09% 46,079 58.64% 997 1.27% -14,581 -18.56% 78,574Totals1,746,84852.77%1,543,55046.63%19,9320.60%203,2986.14%3,310,330

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

Asotin (largest city: Clarkston) Chelan (largest city: Wenatchee) Clallam (largest city: Port Angeles) Garfield (largest city: Pomeroy) Grays Harbor (largest city: Aberdeen) Mason (largest city: Shelton) Pacific (largest city: Raymond) Skagit (largest city: Mount Vernon) Skamania (largest city: Carson) Wahkiakum (largest city: Puget Island)

By congressional district Reykdal won six of ten congressional districts, with the remaining four going to Olson, including two that elected Democrats. District Reykdal Olson Representative 55% 44%Suzan DelBene 54% 45%Rick Larsen 44% 55%Marie Gluesenkamp Perez 40% 59%Dan Newhouse44%55%Cathy McMorris Rodgers (118th Congress)Michael Baumgartner (119th Congress)51%48%Derek Kilmer (118th Congress)Emily Randall (119th Congress) 77% 22%Pramila Jayapal 47% 52%Kim Schrier 60% 39%Adam Smith 52% 48%Marilyn Strickland

Notes

Partisan clients

References

External links Official campaign websites Chris Reykdal for Superintendent of Public Instruction