2020 Washington Referendum 90

Referendum 90

November 3, 2020
Washington Comprehensive Sexual Health Education
Results
Choice Votes % Yes 2,283,630 57.82% No 1,665,906 42.18% Total votes 3,949,536 100.00%
County results Congressional district results Yes   80–90%   70–80%   60–70%   50–60% No   70–80%   60–70%   50–60%

Referendum 90 was a Washington state referendum to approve or reject the March 2020 bill that would mandate that comprehensive sex education is taught in all public schools in the state. On June 24, 2020, state officials announced that enough signatures in favor of the referendum had been submitted and scheduled the referendum to appear on the ballot in the November 3 general election. ^[1] The law was upheld by voters in the November 3, 2020 election by a final margin of 15.6% (57.8% approve, 42.2% reject). ^[2] This measure was the nation's first ballot measure pertaining to sex education to be decided by voters. ^[3]

Background

Senate Bill 5395 was passed by both chambers of the Washington State Legislature, the Washington State Senate and Washington House of Representatives, during the 2020 regular legislative session. It passed each chamber on a party line and required all school districts in the state to teach comprehensive sex education. Governor Jay Inslee signed the bill after it was sent to his desk. Prior to the law passing, each school district was able to decide whether to teach sex education. The law allowed parents or guardians to view materials and opt their students out of any or all of it. ^[4] Republicans and religious conservatives collected signatures to force a vote on the issue. ^[5]

Endorsements

Yes

Statewide officials

• Jay Inslee, incumbent governor of Washington (Democratic) ^[6]

No

Political parties

• Washington State Republican Party ^[4]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size [a]	Margin of error	Approve	Reject	Undecided
Public Policy Polling (D) [7] [A]	October 14–15, 2020	610 (LV)	± 4%	56%	33%	11%
SurveyUSA/KING-TV [8]	October 8–10, 2020	591 (LV)	± 5.2%	52%	34%	14%

Results

Referendum 90 passed with 58% of the vote. ^[9]

By county

County results

County [10]	Yes		No		Margin		Total votes
	#	%	#	%	#	%
Adams	1,768	30.94%	3,947	69.06%	-2,179	-38.13%	5,715
Asotin	5,559	48.20%	5,974	51.80%	-415	-3.60%	11,533
Benton	37,867	37.53%	63,043	62.47%	-25,176	-24.95%	100,910
Chelan	19,244	47.48%	21,285	52.52%	-2,041	-5.04%	40,529
Clallam	24,246	51.92%	22,452	48.08%	1,794	3.84%	46,698
Clark	144,843	56.92%	109,618	43.08%	35,225	13.84%	254,461
Columbia	789	32.44%	1,643	67.56%	-854	-35.12%	2,432
Cowlitz	25,409	43.34%	33,212	56.66%	-7,803	-13.31%	58,621
Douglas	8,390	40.36%	12,399	59.64%	-4,009	-19.28%	20,789
Ferry	1,399	33.22%	2,812	66.78%	-1,413	-33.55%	4,211
Franklin	11,952	37.74%	19,717	62.26%	-7,765	-24.52%	31,669
Garfield	435	30.21%	1,005	69.79%	-570	-39.58%	1,440
Grant	11,768	32.77%	24,145	67.23%	-12,377	-34.46%	35,913
Grays Harbor	16,456	44.14%	20,826	55.86%	-4,370	-11.72%	37,282
Island	28,459	54.62%	23,640	45.38%	4,819	9.25%	52,099
Jefferson	16,433	68.47%	7,567	31.53%	8,866	36.94%	24,000
King	853,102	73.19%	312,424	26.81%	540,678	46.39%	1,165,526
Kitsap	89,068	57.74%	65,178	42.26%	23,890	15.49%	154,246
Kittitas	12,224	48.17%	13,152	51.83%	-928	-3.66%	25,376
Klickitat	6,067	47.82%	6,619	52.18%	-552	-4.35%	12,686
Lewis	14,515	32.72%	29,847	67.28%	-15,332	-34.56%	44,362
Lincoln	1,780	25.82%	5,115	74.18%	-3,335	-48.37%	6,895
Mason	17,095	47.10%	19,202	52.90%	-2,107	-5.80%	36,297
Okanogan	8,986	43.33%	11,753	56.67%	-2,767	-13.34%	20,739
Pacific	6,677	48.97%	6,959	51.03%	-282	-2.07%	13,636
Pend Oreille	2,757	33.05%	5,584	66.95%	-2,827	-33.89%	8,341
Pierce	239,142	52.85%	213,379	47.15%	25,763	5.69%	452,521
San Juan	9,176	72.16%	3,540	27.84%	5,636	44.32%	12,716
Skagit	36,629	51.51%	34,482	48.49%	2,147	3.02%	71,111
Skamania	3,477	49.38%	3,564	50.62%	-87	-1.24%	7,041
Snohomish	239,765	56.10%	187,600	43.90%	52,165	12.21%	427,365
Spokane	134,160	46.37%	155,180	53.63%	-21,020	-7.26%	289,340
Stevens	7,857	28.40%	19,813	71.60%	-11,956	-43.21%	27,670
Thurston	93,864	57.56%	69,219	42.44%	24,645	15.11%	163,083
Wahkiakum	1,265	43.58%	1,638	56.42%	-373	-12.85%	2,903
Walla Walla	14,988	49.41%	15,347	50.59%	-359	-1.18%	30,335
Whatcom	81,015	59.91%	54,207	40.09%	26,808	19.83%	135,222
Whitman	11,697	56.59%	8,974	43.41%	2,723	13.17%	20,671
Yakima	43,307	46.49%	49,845	53.51%	-6,538	-7.02%	93,152
Totals	2,283,630	57.82%	1,665,906	42.18%	617,724	15.64%	3,949,536

By congressional district

"Yes" won eight of ten congressional districts, including one that elected a Republican. ^[11]

District	Yes	No	Representative
1st	57%	43%	Suzan DelBene
2nd	60%	40%	Rick Larsen
3rd	51%	49%	Jaime Herrera Beutler
4th	40%	60%	Dan Newhouse
5th	45%	55%	Cathy McMorris Rodgers
6th	57%	43%	Derek Kilmer
7th	83%	17%	Pramila Jayapal
8th	52%	48%	Kim Schrier
9th	71%	29%	Adam Smith
10th	55%	45%	Denny Heck (116th Congress)
			Marilyn Strickland (117th Congress)

Notes

1. Key:
   A – all adults
   RV – registered voters
   LV – likely voters
   V – unclear

Partisan clients

1. Poll sponsored by the Northwest Progressive Institute

References

1. "Referendum 90 on Washington 2020 ballot asks voters to approve or reject comprehensive sexual health education in public schools". June 30, 2020.
2. Furfaro, Hannah (November 3, 2020). "Sex education Referendum 90 passes in Washington state election results" . The Seattle Times . Archived from the original on May 16, 2025. Retrieved December 26, 2025.
3. "Inslee wins third term, voters weigh in on sex ed".
4. "Sex education on the ballot: Four things to know about Referendum 90". October 18, 2020.
5. "How the sex education referendum made it to your ballot, and what it means". October 20, 2020.
6. "Referendum to repeal sex ed law gathers record number of signatures despite pandemic". June 10, 2020.
7. Public Policy Polling (D)
8. SurveyUSA/KING-TV
9. Wyman, Kim (December 1, 2020). "Canvass of the Returns of the General Election Held on November 3, 2020" (PDF). Secretary of State of Washington . Archived (PDF) from the original on June 29, 2025. Retrieved December 26, 2025.
10. Wyman, Kim (November 3, 2020). "Referendum Measure No. 90 - County Results". Secretary of State of Washington . Archived from the original on November 7, 2025. Retrieved December 26, 2025.
11. "2020Gen Results by Congressional District" (PDF). sos.wa.gov. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 22, 2024.