Washington’s I-2066 inches closer to victory after Wednesday’s updated election results

Initiative 2066 inched closer to passing with Wednesday’s vote tallies, as an additional 300,000 votes were counted in Washington state’s general election.

With the updated vote count, the initiative leads by a margin of 51.4 percent to 48.6 percent, a slight increase from its lead when initial results the were released on Tuesday night.

If it passes, I-2066 would repeal the limits on incentivizing the use of natural gas imposed by a 2024 state law.

What would I-2066 do?

I-2066 targets a recent law known as the Washington Decarbonization Act. The law primarily deals with reporting requirements for large energy utility companies — mainly Puget Sound Energy — but includes a handful of restrictions on PSE as well.

The law bars PSE from offering rebates to customers for buying gas appliances, and requires the company to inform customers of any rebate available for buying electric appliances.

I-2066 would amend the 2024 law to prohibit PSE from offering plans that restrict a customer’s access to gas, and allow the company to offer rebates for customers who purchase gas appliances. Under the proposal, local governments and gas utilities would also be required to offer natural gas services and utility plans wouldn’t be allowed to disincentivize or ban natural gas.

The measure’s supporters argue that Washington residents should be able to choose the type of energy they want in their homes and businesses. They also claim that broadening the availability of natural gas would lower energy prices.

The initiative’s opponents argue that the measure would roll back necessary climate protections while increasing the cost of energy in the long run, since natural gas is less efficient than electricity.

Will I-2066 pass?

As of Wednesday night, I-2066 leads by 75,630 votes, with an estimated 783,000 votes still to be counted, according to the Secretary of State’s Office. In order for I-2066 to fail, nearly 55 percent of the remaining tally would have to be no votes, assuming the Secretary of State’s estimate is correct.

Its opponents believe there’s a chance that can happen.

“With votes still being counted, the key takeaway is still: it’s too close to call. We’re seeing late breaking votes are trending no, especially as polls showed people disliked it the more they learned about it.” the No on I-2066 coalition stated in a press release Wednesday.

An estimated 200,000 of the uncounted votes are from King County, which voted against the initiative by a 59 percent to 41 percent margin. However, over 50,000 uncounted votes remain from each of Clark, Snohomish, Pierce and Kitsap counties, according to the Secretary of State’s office estimates, all of which voted in favor of I-2066.

What about the other WA ballot initiatives?

I-2066 was one of four initiatives on the ballot this year, each of which was backed by conservative political action committee Let’s Go Washington and financed by hedge fund executive Brian Heywood. The other three are all trailing by over 10 percentage points as of Wednesday night.

In a press release, Let’s Go Washington founder Brian Heywood stated that the ballot measures can have an impact even if they’re defeated.

“These numbers tonight are not what we would have wanted to see, but they do not mean defeat. We have already won because the people in this state know they can mobilize to hold their government accountable,” Heywood said in a press release Tuesday.