THE APEX TIMES
Washington Secretary of State confirms initiative to repeal “millionaire’s tax” qualifies for November ballot
Initiative 645, which would repeal Washington’s newly enacted tax on households earning more than $1 million a year, has been cleared for voters in November after Secretary of State Steve Hobbs’ office said it received enough signatures.
Washington state voters will decide in November whether to repeal a newly enacted tax targeting households with income above $1 million per year, after an initiative aimed at undoing the policy qualified for the ballot, according to a spokesperson for Secretary of State Steve Hobbs.
The measure is Initiative 645, which would repeal what has been described in reporting as a “millionaire’s tax” on high-earning households. Hobbs’ office confirmed to the Seattle Times that the initiative received enough signatures to move forward to the general election ballot.
The confirmation means Washington’s statewide vote will determine whether the newly enacted income tax surcharge or tax provision tied to that $1 million threshold remains in effect or is repealed through the ballot process.
Initiatives in Washington are generally designed to allow voters to approve or reject proposed statutory changes, and once a measure qualifies for the ballot it becomes subject to statewide campaigning and election administration procedures ahead of the vote date.
The next step for supporters and opponents of Initiative 645 will be the election-committee and ballot-management timelines set by Washington election officials, including compliance with rules governing ballot measure language, voter information materials, and other administrative requirements before election day.
While the measure is advancing to a November ballot, the practical effect of the initiative will turn on the outcome of that vote. If voters approve the repeal, the high-earner tax provision would be removed, subject to how the change is implemented under Washington law and the measure’s effective date provisions.
If voters reject the repeal, the newly enacted policy would remain in force, continuing to apply to households meeting the income threshold described for the tax. In that scenario, the initiative would still reflect a report of voter demand expressed through the signature-gathering process, but the legislature or existing statutory framework would continue to govern the tax’s operation.
The Hobbs office’s confirmation on signature sufficiency is the key administrative milestone for Initiative 645, and it establishes that the measure will be before voters rather than remaining in the petition stage.
Why It Matters
- The November vote will determine whether Washington’s newly enacted tax on households above a $1 million income threshold is repealed or remains in place.
- Qualification for the ballot is a procedural milestone that shifts the measure from petition activity to formal election administration and statewide voter consideration.
- Because the initiative targets a specific income threshold, the outcome could affect how Washington collects revenues from high-earner households under the existing statutory framework.
- The case reflects the role of ballot initiatives in Washington’s tax policy process, allowing voters to approve or reject changes through direct election rather than requiring a legislative vote.
Key Facts
- A spokesperson for Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs confirmed that Initiative 645 received enough signatures to qualify for the November ballot.
- Initiative 645 would repeal the state’s newly enacted “millionaire’s tax” on households earning more than $1 million per year, as described in reporting.
- The measure will be decided by Washington state voters in November rather than through legislative action alone.
- The qualification is based on ballot qualification requirements, including the submission of sufficient signatures, per the Hobbs office confirmation relayed in reporting.