The 2004 Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction election was held on November 2, 2004, to elect the superintendent of public instruction of Washington, concurrently with the 2004 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 Terry Bergeson was re-elected to a third term in office, defeating former superintendent of public instruction Judith Billings.https://www.seattlepi.com/seattlenews/article/bergeson-retains-job-as-school-chief-1158372.php While the race was officially non-partisan, both Bergeson and Billings identified as Democrats.
Primary election Due to the nonpartisan nature of the office, this was the only Washington election in 2004 that had a nonpartisan primary in which all candidates were listed on the same ballot, with the top two advancing to the general election if no candidate received a majority of the vote in the primary.https://www.chronline.com/stories/billings-seeks-superintendents-office-again,238825 The primary election was held on September 14.
Candidates Advanced to general Terry Bergeson, incumbent state superintendent (1997–2009)https://columbiabasinherald.com/news/2004/sep/13/candidates-for-state-superintendent-on-wasl/ Judith Billings, former state superintendent (1989–1997)https://www.seattlepi.com/seattlenews/article/former-state-school-chief-billings-to-run-for-her-1149904.php
Eliminated in primary John Blair, perennial candidate and former high school teacherhttps://dailyastorian.com/2004/09/12/democrat-challenges-incumbent-for-pacific-county-commission/ David Blomstrom, perennial candidate Juanita Doyon, activist KumRoon Maksirisombat, educator
Results
General election Endorsements
Results
By county +CountyTerry Bergeson DemocraticJudith Billings DemocraticMarginTotal votes#%#%#%Adams2,45657.20%1,83842.80%61814.39%4,294Asotin4,51364.56%2,47735.44%2,03629.13%6,990Benton32,39660.31%21,32139.69%11,07520.62%53,717Chelan12,27951.22%11,69248.78%5872.45%23,971Clallam15,87956.33%12,31043.67%3,56912.66%28,189Clark81,45261.72%50,51838.28%30,93423.44%131,970Columbia1,09462.55%65537.45%43925.10%1,749Cowlitz20,39858.16%14,67341.84%5,72516.32%35,071Douglas5,48348.68%5,78151.32%-298-2.65%11,264Ferry1,51757.14%1,13842.86%37914.27%2,655Franklin7,55757.28%5,63542.72%1,92214.57%13,192Garfield62059.50%42240.50%19819.00%1,042Grant12,61157.90%9,16942.10%3,44215.80%21,780Grays Harbor12,72152.78%11,38347.22%1,3385.55%24,104Island17,87958.24%12,82041.76%5,05916.48%30,699Jefferson8,50855.29%6,87944.71%1,62910.59%15,387King380,08053.88%325,38146.12%54,6997.75%705,461Kitsap56,81856.10%44,46543.90%12,35312.20%101,283Kittitas7,07752.52%6,39747.48%6805.05%13,474Klickitat4,25359.90%2,84740.10%1,40619.80%7,100Lewis13,91652.35%12,66947.65%1,2474.69%26,585Lincoln2,71258.17%1,95041.83%76216.34%4,662Mason12,40959.07%8,59840.93%3,81118.14%21,007Okanogan7,07854.33%5,94945.67%1,1298.67%13,027Pacific4,63856.47%3,57543.53%1,06312.94%8,213Pend Oreille2,88756.79%2,19743.21%69013.57%5,084Pierce137,20751.87%127,29948.13%9,9083.75%264,506San Juan4,34855.45%3,49444.55%85410.89%7,842Skagit24,45256.24%19,02443.76%5,42812.49%43,476Skamania2,37558.60%1,67841.40%69717.20%4,053Snohomish138,63255.77%109,95644.23%28,67611.54%248,588Spokane98,61358.67%69,48141.33%29,13217.33%168,094Stevens9,29258.27%6,65541.73%2,63716.54%15,947Thurston53,84255.41%43,32544.59%10,51710.82%97,167Wahkiakum1,04560.76%67539.24%37021.51%1,720Walla Walla11,53761.44%7,24038.56%4,29722.88%18,777Whatcom38,46155.47%30,87644.53%7,58510.94%69,337Whitman7,85755.57%6,28344.43%1,57411.13%14,140Yakima36,66856.54%28,18743.46%8,48113.08%64,855Totals1,293,56055.51%1,036,91244.49%256,64811.01%2,330,472
References