Government

In 2016, four Washington state representatives to the Electoral College refused to vote for the state's winner, Hillary Clinton. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled the state was on solid footing when it fined those "faithless electors."

The two candidates running against longtime state Senator Mike Padden say the Republican is too beholden to the party and has made questionable votes on growth management and environmental issues. Padden says his right-of-center views reflect his constituency. 

In a long-running lawsuit, a woman accuses police and deputies in Ferry County of failing to properly investigate when she reported a pattern of rape and molestation spanning 12 years of her childhood.

For the first time since 2010, there will be a competitive Democratic primary for the chance to face Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who's been in Congress since 2005. Voters will have the option of a former independent who's calling for a return to centrist politics, and a 28-year-old first-time candidate who's setting his sights on supporters across the political spectrum.

OLYMPIA – If the Washington Legislature is forced into a special session to deal with the economic collapse sparked by COVID-19, some lawmakers are working to make sure they also debate police reform in the aftermath of nationwide protests following by the death of George Floyd.

Washington’s Aug. 4 primary will see a crowded race for the 4th congressional district, with three-term Republican incumbent Rep. Dan Newhouse facing five challengers for his seat representing Central Washington.

On July Fourth, Spin Control gives its readers a chance to to prove they are Yankee Doodlest of dandies with its annual Independence Day Trivia Quiz. Some are things everyone who bleeds red, white and blue should know, and a few things are, well, trivia. 

Washington state had flattened the curve, but with reopening counties came more cases, and now the state is at similar case count levels as it was in April.

The difference four years makes in Washington elections is probably most obvious in the state attorney general’s race.

In their quest for police reform, elected officials in the city of Spokane may lean on their counterparts in the state Legislature for help.

Cindy Richard sat under a tent, near the booth where she has been selling more fireworks than usual, as rain poured down in Post Falls on Tuesday.

OLYMPIA – A ballot measure that reduced most vehicle taxes and fees should be thrown out as misleading because the $30 tabs it promotes won’t exist and it’s guilty of “logrolling” by including more than one topic, attorneys for local governments opposing the proposal told the state Supreme Court Tuesday.

OLYMPIA – In a report to the legislature released Tuesday, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson recommends law enforcement across the state begin reporting all uses of deadly force.

A new law prohibiting the use of handheld devices while driving takes effect Wednesday in Idaho .

WASHINGTON – In a Senate hearing Tuesday, four of the nation’s top public health officials called on all Americans to do their part in slowing the spread of COVID-19 and warned of dire consequences if current trends in nationwide infections continue.

After a yearslong negotiation stalled on Monday, it’s back to the bargaining table for the city of Spokane and its police officers.