2008 Washington State Treasurer election

2008 Washington State Treasurer election

←  2004 November 4, 2008 2012  →

Nominee James McIntire Allan Martin Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,420,022 1,360,063 Percentage 51.08% 48.92%

County results Congressional district results McIntire:      50–60%     60–70%     70–80% Martin:      50–60%     60–70%

State Treasurer before election Mike Murphy Democratic Elected State Treasurer James McIntire Democratic

The 2008 Washington State Treasurer election was held on November 6, 2012, to elect the Washington State Treasurer, concurrently with the 2008 U.S. presidential election, as well as elections to the U.S. Senate and various state and local elections, including for U.S. House and governor of Washington. Washington is one of two states that holds a top-two primary, meaning that all candidates are listed on the same ballot regardless of party affiliation, and the top two move on to the general election.

Incumbent Democratic State Treasurer Mike Murphy, first elected back in 1996, retired. ^[1] Democratic state representative James McIntire narrowly defeated Republican Assistant State Treasurer Allan Martin to succeed Murphy. ^[2]

The top-two primary was held on August 19.

Primary election

Democratic Party

Advanced to general

• James McIntire, state representative (1998–2009) ^[3]

Eliminated in primary

• ChangMook Sohn, former director of the state Revenue Forecast Council ^[4]

Declined

• Mike Murphy, incumbent state treasurer (1997–2009) ^[1]

Republican Party

Advanced to general

• Allan Martin, assistant state treasurer ^[3]

Endorsements

Allan Martin (R)

Statewide officials

• Mike Murphy, incumbent Washington State Treasurer (1997–2009) (Democratic) ^[5]

Newspapers

• The Seattle Times ^[5]

Results

Blanket primary results by county

  Martin

•   30–40%
•   40–50%
•   50–60%
•   60–70%

  McIntire

•   40–50%

Blanket primary results ^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Allan Martin	613,595	45.33
	Democratic	James McIntire	533,443	39.41
	Democratic	ChangMook Sohn	206,457	15.25
Total votes			1,353,495	100.00

General election

Results

2008 Washington State Treasurer election ^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	James McIntire	1,420,022	51.08
	Republican	Allen Martin	1,360,063	48.92
Total votes			2,780,085	100.00
	Democratic hold

By county

County results

County [8]	James McIntire Democratic		Allan Martin Republican		Margin		Total votes
	#	%	#	%	#	%
Adams	1,452	32.75%	2,981	67.25%	-1,529	-34.49%	4,433
Asotin	3,954	43.58%	5,120	56.42%	-1,166	-12.85%	9,074
Benton	24,182	35.60%	43,736	64.40%	-19,554	-28.79%	67,918
Chelan	10,318	34.63%	19,477	65.37%	-9,159	-30.74%	29,795
Clallam	16,812	47.40%	18,655	52.60%	-1,843	-5.20%	35,467
Clark	83,133	49.11%	86,151	50.89%	-3,018	-1.78%	169,284
Columbia	648	31.73%	1,394	68.27%	-746	-36.53%	2,042
Cowlitz	22,517	53.99%	19,187	46.01%	3,330	7.98%	41,704
Douglas	4,755	33.60%	9,397	66.40%	-4,642	-32.80%	14,152
Ferry	1,349	42.00%	1,863	58.00%	-514	-16.00%	3,212
Franklin	6,941	37.20%	11,718	62.80%	-4,777	-25.60%	18,659
Garfield	386	31.23%	850	68.77%	-464	-37.54%	1,236
Grant	9,285	36.07%	16,457	63.93%	-7,172	-27.86%	25,742
Grays Harbor	14,995	55.32%	12,111	44.68%	2,884	10.64%	27,106
Island	17,834	46.09%	20,856	53.91%	-3,022	-7.81%	38,690
Jefferson	10,981	58.48%	7,795	41.52%	3,186	16.97%	18,776
King	482,557	58.77%	338,554	41.23%	144,003	17.54%	821,111
Kitsap	57,991	49.88%	58,268	50.12%	-277	-0.24%	116,259
Kittitas	7,021	42.59%	9,464	57.41%	-2,443	-14.82%	16,485
Klickitat	4,516	48.12%	4,869	51.88%	-353	-3.76%	9,385
Lewis	12,716	39.41%	19,547	60.59%	-6,831	-21.17%	32,263
Lincoln	1,861	34.46%	3,540	65.54%	-1,679	-31.09%	5,401
Mason	13,266	49.67%	13,441	50.33%	-175	-0.66%	26,707
Okanogan	6,713	43.48%	8,727	56.52%	-2,014	-13.04%	15,440
Pacific	5,719	56.55%	4,395	43.45%	1,324	13.09%	10,114
Pend Oreille	2,579	42.77%	3,451	57.23%	-872	-14.46%	6,030
Pierce	150,685	49.69%	152,539	50.31%	-1,854	-0.61%	303,224
San Juan	5,901	60.70%	3,820	39.30%	2,081	21.41%	9,721
Skagit	25,176	48.58%	26,652	51.42%	-1,476	-2.85%	51,828
Skamania	2,487	49.52%	2,535	50.48%	-48	-0.96%	5,022
Snohomish	150,923	50.50%	147,953	49.50%	2,970	0.99%	298,876
Spokane	95,304	47.01%	107,422	52.99%	-12,118	-5.98%	202,726
Stevens	7,777	37.85%	12,770	62.15%	-4,993	-24.30%	20,547
Thurston	59,308	51.04%	56,886	48.96%	2,422	2.08%	116,194
Wahkiakum	1,053	50.48%	1,033	49.52%	20	0.96%	2,086
Walla Walla	8,565	37.66%	14,180	62.34%	-5,615	-24.69%	22,745
Whatcom	48,798	53.03%	43,218	46.97%	5,580	6.06%	92,016
Whitman	7,281	45.57%	8,695	54.43%	-1,414	-8.85%	15,976
Yakima	32,283	44.44%	40,356	55.56%	-8,073	-11.11%	72,639
Totals	1,420,022	51.08%	1,360,063	48.92%	59,959	2.16%	2,780,085

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

• Asotin (largest city: Clarkston)
• Clallam (largest city: Port Angeles)
• Clark (largest city: Vancouver)
• Ferry (largest city: Republic)
• Island (largest city: Oak Harbor)
• Kitsap (largest city: Bremerton)
• Kittitas (largest city: Ellensburg)
• Klickitat (largest city: Goldendale)
• Mason (largest city: Shelton)
• Okanogan (largest city: Omak)
• Pend Oreille (largest city: Newport)
• Pierce (largest city: Tacoma)
• Skagit (largest city: Mount Vernon)
• Skamania (largest city: Carson)
• Spokane (largest city: Spokane)
• Walla Walla (largest city: Walla Walla)
• Whitman (largest city: Pullman)
• Yakima (largest city: Yakima)

By congressional district

McIntire won five of nine congressional districts, with the remaining four going to Martin, including one that elected a Democrat. ^[9]

District	McIntire	Martin	Representative
1st	51%	49%	Jay Inslee
2nd	50.3%	49.7%	Rick Larsen
3rd	49.6%	50.4%	Brian Baird
4th	39%	61%	Doc Hastings
5th	45%	55%	Cathy McMorris Rodgers
6th	52%	48%	Norm Dicks
7th	73%	27%	Jim McDermott
8th	46%	54%	Dave Reichert
9th	51%	49%	Adam Smith

References

1. https://www.theolympian.com/news/politics-government/the-state-worker/article25227022.html
2. Shaw, Linda (November 7, 2008). "Randy Dorn defeats Bergeson for state schools post". The Seattle Times . Archived from the original on February 19, 2019. Retrieved October 24, 2025. ...Democrat Jim McIntire defeated Republican Allan Martin for state treasurer, which was an open seat.
3. Gilmore, Susan (August 6, 2008). "3 running to fill state treasurer's job". The Seattle Times . Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved October 24, 2025.
4. https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2008/mar/04/sohn-running-for-wa-state-treasurer/
5. Editorial Board, The Seattle Times (August 5, 2008). "Allan Martin for state treasurer". The Seattle Times . Retrieved October 24, 2025.
6. Reed, Sam (August 19, 2008). "State Treasurer". Secretary of State of Washington . Archived from the original on May 2, 2025. Retrieved October 24, 2025.
7. Reed, Sam (November 4, 2008). "State Treasurer". Secretary of State of Washington . Archived from the original on March 25, 2025. Retrieved October 24, 2025.
8. Reed, Sam (November 4, 2008). "State Treasurer - County Results". Secretary of State of Washington . Archived from the original on July 24, 2015. Retrieved October 24, 2025.
9. "2008 General Data". sos.wa.gov. Archived from the original on May 20, 2024.