I-522 final stats

Final, official results from the November election show I-522 lost by a very narrow margin, 48.91 percent to 51.09 percent. The difference was just 38,046 votes, meaning only 19,024 more “yes” votes were needed to win.

I-522 actually won among every age group, except seniors, and seniors determined the outcome of the extremely low voter turnout.

Only 45.27 percent of Washington state registered voters actually voted, the lowest number in a decade, six points lower than typical off-off-year elections and the predictions of election officials. Low turnouts skew results to favor the views of seniors who vote consistently, while younger, more progressive people do not.

More final numbers:

• I-522 won among women overall, 51 to 49 percent. It lost among men, 54 to 46.
• The Yes campaign raised $8 million from 16,421 donors, most of them first-time political donors. The average gift was $10.
• The No campaign raised $22 million from 12 donors, only six of them individuals, not corporations. The average gift was $1.8 million.
• $3.2 million of the total $8 million budget for the Yes campaign came in during the final month, too late to spend it strategically or effectively.
• A full 86 percent of the Yes campaign budget was spent on voter contact (70 percent is typical).