Democrats in Olympia could hold a two-thirds supermajority in the Washington House of Representatives after flipping several Republican-held seats on Nov. 3.

If election-night leads hold, House Democrats will grow from 59 seats to 66, according to The Center Square. Republicans would shrink from 39 seats to 32. The 98-seat chamber requires 66 votes for a two-thirds supermajority.

That threshold unlocks powers Democrats have not held in the House. A supermajority can pass bonds, override a governor's veto and advance constitutional amendments to the ballot without a single Republican vote, according to the Washington State Standard.

Under Article XXIII of the Washington State Constitution, proposing a constitutional amendment requires a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate, according to the Lynnwood Times.

Democrats do not hold a supermajority in the Senate, where they held a 30-19 majority before the election. Only 24 of 49 Senate seats were on the ballot.

What flipped

Democrats led or won in both House seats in Legislative Districts 14, 17 and 18. In District 14, Chelsea Dimas led incumbent Gloria Mendoza 55% to 45%, and Ezequiel Morfin led incumbent Deb Manjarrez 55% to 44%.

Both District 17 seats flipped by double-digit margins. Both District 18 seats also flipped, with margins ranging from about 8 points to nearly 12 points, the Lynnwood Times reported.

In District 12, Democrat Stacy Willoughby led incumbent Rep. Brian Burnett of Wenatchee by about 1,400 votes with thousands of ballots left to count. In District 25, Democrat David Berg held a slim lead over incumbent Michael Keaton, 50.8% to 49.2%.

Ballots are still being counted. Several races remain close enough to shift.

The local angle: 35th District

Closer to home, Democrat Carolina Mejia led Republican incumbent Drew MacEwen 51% to 48% in the 35th District Senate race. Republican incumbents Dan Griffey and Travis Couture held narrow leads in the two 35th District House seats. Griffey led Democrat Jim Pierson by about 200 votes. Couture led Democrat Maria Littlesun by about 400 votes.

Republicans and Democrats respond

Washington State Republican Party Chair Jim Walsh called the results "bad, but not disastrous," according to The Center Square.

In a statement on X, Walsh wrote that Republicans would "grind out wins" in Districts 12, 14, 18 and possibly 26 as late ballots are counted. "The Left will not have a supermajority in Olympia," Walsh wrote.

GOP campaign consultant Alex Hays offered a blunter assessment. "This is a low point for the Republican party," Hays told the Washington State Standard.

Rep. Couture, who holds a narrow lead in his own race, said Republicans statewide "got their asses handed to them," according to The Center Square.

Washington Democratic Party Chair Shasti Conrad called it one of the best election nights in her lifetime. "We are for the sixth consecutive cycle growing our majorities in the state legislature," Conrad told The Center Square on election night.

What comes next

Gov. Bob Ferguson, a Democrat, can sign bills passed by Democratic majorities without needing Republican votes.

If the House supermajority holds after all ballots are counted, the only check on constitutional amendments would be the Senate, where Democrats remain two seats short of a two-thirds majority.

Twenty-five Senate seats will be on the ballot in 2028.