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New Cascade PBS/Elway poll shows economy, taxes and housing top concerns for Washington voters
Summary
A January Cascade PBS/Elway poll of 403 registered Washington voters finds the economy is the top legislative priority, partisan identification falling and strong public support for more K‑12 funding, more police and limits on annual rent increases, signaling pressure on lawmakers as the session begins.
Stewart Elway, the Pacific Northwest pollster behind the Cascade PBS/Elway survey, told press attendees the January poll of 403 registered voters (telephone and text, margin of error ±5 points) shows the economy remains the single most‑cited issue for the legislature to address.
Elway said 34% named the economy as the top priority and that, across demographic groups, the economy topped the list. "The top issues were taxes, crime, cost of living and housing costs," he said, presenting the coded, verbatim answers collected in the survey.
The poll also measured a four‑question voter outlook index covering household, community, state and national expectations. Elway said personal outlooks were most positive (56% said things are looking better for themselves) while statewide sentiment was unusually low — only 36% said the state was looking better. "Outlook for the state has trended down for the last five years and is at a near record low," he said.
On specific policy proposals, Elway reported majorities favor increased funding for K‑12 education (74%), more police officers for local governments (73%), and limits on how much landlords can raise rent each year (68%). A majority (62–66%) also supported finding money to provide free school meals to all children if federal funds are cut.
Elway cautioned that favorable reactions to broad proposals are common when voters are presented with new ideas: "This is sort of the starting line of what people are inclined to want to have happen," he said, noting detailed votes on program design would differ.
The poll probed reactions to the national political shift as well. Elway said 51% expected President Trump’s return to office to have a negative impact on their lives, and a plurality of respondents outside of King County favored cooperation with any federal deportation plan rather than resistance.
The full results and crosstabs are available through the Cascade PBS publication that released the data.
Why it matters: The poll frames the priorities many voters put ahead of the 105‑day legislative session and offers lawmakers an early read on where public appetite may lie on funding, policing, housing and tax policy. The survey’s findings were presented to reporters and policy staff as legislative leaders prepared to outline budgets and proposals for the coming weeks.
