Live coverage of the 2026 midterm elections in Washington • Washington State Standard

“We need politicians who speak respectfully”

Election officials at the South Hill Library in Spokane emptied a ballot box for the second time today around 3 p.m. Voters in Washington can place their ballots in any box, regardless of where they live.

Some Spokane Valley residents may be flocking to other drop-off locations after a deadly shooting occurred at the city’s public library around 1 p.m. Local authorities have taken a man into custody. While the library is closed, the ballot box remains open.

Some voters believe that the situation is comparable to the current political situation in the country.

“It’s just these labels and we get caught up in them, and then it goes to the extreme, like something like this,” said Matthew Chavez, 36, who voted Democratic. “We need politicians who speak respectfully and don’t intentionally try to divide our country.”

Others said they were not surprised by the shooting.

“Shootings happen all the time here. We just don’t talk about them,” said Alex Biviano, 28.

Many people said they felt Spokane was often left out of state politics.

“There are two halves to the state,” Paul Mills, 43, said. “It took them so long to fix the highway here and it was necessary.”

When it comes to state issues, people are ready for change, on both sides.

“With the clean green deal, it feels like it’s more of a cash grab than productive action with the money they’re taking for additional gas and utility taxes,” Monica, 60, said. “So yeah, I pretty much voted Republican.”

Lena Roose, 19, said voting for the first time “is a little sad.”

“I have to vote for the least bad option,” Roose said. “It’s not spectacular.”

Regarding the initiative to repeal the income tax on high earners, she said: “It was horrible. Who wants that?”

“Let’s tax millionaires less and give less money to schools? No, I don’t want that,” Roose added.