2018 Washington Initiative 1634
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Initiative Measure No. 1634 was a ballot initiative in the State of Washington to prohibit local governments from enacting taxes on groceries, including taxes on soda.
Background
[edit]![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg?lang=en){kind=small} | This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (August 2025) |
Content
[edit]The ballot title appeared as follows:[1]
Initiative Measure No. 1634 concerns taxation of certain items intended for human consumption.
This measure would prohibit new or increased local taxes, fees, or assessments on raw or processed foods or beverages (with exceptions), or ingredients thereof, unless effective by January 15, 2018, or generally applicable.
Should this measure be enacted into law?
Campaigns
[edit]Support
[edit]The initiative was supported by the Yes! To Affordable Groceries coalition.[2] It was endorsed by the lobbying arm of Citizens Against Government Waste.[3]
Opposition
[edit]The initiative was opposed by the editorial boards of The Columbian, The Olympian, and The News Tribune.[4][5][6]
Results
[edit]Initiative 1634 passed with 56% of the vote.[7]
By county
[edit]| County[8] | Yes | No | Margin | Total votes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Adams | 2,865 | 67.99% | 1,349 | 32.01% | 1,516 | 35.98% | 4,214 |
| Asotin | 5,821 | 64.08% | 3,263 | 35.92% | 2,558 | 28.16% | 9,084 |
| Benton | 49,121 | 65.38% | 26,012 | 34.62% | 23,109 | 30.76% | 75,133 |
| Chelan | 19,773 | 59.21% | 13,621 | 40.79% | 6,152 | 18.42% | 33,394 |
| Clallam | 23,264 | 59.13% | 16,082 | 40.87% | 7,182 | 18.25% | 39,346 |
| Clark | 103,625 | 53.80% | 88,978 | 46.20% | 14,647 | 7.60% | 192,603 |
| Columbia | 1,472 | 66.49% | 742 | 33.51% | 730 | 32.97% | 2,214 |
| Cowlitz | 25,519 | 57.56% | 18,814 | 42.44% | 6,705 | 15.12% | 44,333 |
| Douglas | 9,942 | 66.56% | 4,995 | 33.44% | 4,947 | 33.12% | 14,937 |
| Ferry | 2,349 | 66.98% | 1,158 | 33.02% | 1,191 | 33.96% | 3,507 |
| Franklin | 14,901 | 66.81% | 7,401 | 33.19% | 7,500 | 33.63% | 22,302 |
| Garfield | 901 | 66.74% | 449 | 33.26% | 452 | 33.48% | 1,350 |
| Grant | 18,821 | 70.88% | 7,732 | 29.12% | 11,089 | 41.76% | 26,553 |
| Grays Harbor | 19,113 | 66.83% | 9,485 | 33.17% | 9,628 | 33.67% | 28,598 |
| Island | 24,032 | 57.38% | 17,847 | 42.62% | 6,185 | 14.77% | 41,879 |
| Jefferson | 9,322 | 44.87% | 11,453 | 55.13% | -2,131 | -10.26% | 20,775 |
| King | 430,934 | 45.22% | 521,970 | 54.78% | -91,036 | -9.55% | 952,904 |
| Kitsap | 68,363 | 56.80% | 51,986 | 43.20% | 16,377 | 13.61% | 120,349 |
| Kittitas | 12,447 | 64.55% | 6,835 | 35.45% | 5,612 | 29.10% | 19,282 |
| Klickitat | 5,838 | 54.99% | 4,779 | 45.01% | 1,059 | 9.97% | 10,617 |
| Lewis | 21,796 | 64.13% | 12,191 | 35.87% | 9,605 | 28.26% | 33,987 |
| Lincoln | 3,935 | 70.46% | 1,650 | 29.54% | 2,285 | 40.91% | 5,585 |
| Mason | 17,770 | 64.13% | 9,941 | 35.87% | 7,829 | 28.25% | 27,711 |
| Okanogan | 10,225 | 61.13% | 6,501 | 38.87% | 3,724 | 22.26% | 16,726 |
| Pacific | 6,559 | 60.43% | 4,295 | 39.57% | 2,264 | 20.86% | 10,854 |
| Pend Oreille | 4,556 | 65.94% | 2,353 | 34.06% | 2,203 | 31.89% | 6,909 |
| Pierce | 209,376 | 64.45% | 115,488 | 35.55% | 93,888 | 28.90% | 324,864 |
| San Juan | 4,511 | 41.33% | 6,404 | 58.67% | -1,893 | -17.34% | 10,915 |
| Skagit | 32,686 | 60.00% | 21,792 | 40.00% | 10,894 | 20.00% | 54,478 |
| Skamania | 2,846 | 51.11% | 2,722 | 48.89% | 124 | 2.23% | 5,568 |
| Snohomish | 194,137 | 60.45% | 127,038 | 39.55% | 67,099 | 20.89% | 321,175 |
| Spokane | 147,705 | 65.15% | 78,998 | 34.85% | 68,707 | 30.31% | 226,703 |
| Stevens | 16,088 | 71.11% | 6,536 | 28.89% | 9,552 | 42.22% | 22,624 |
| Thurston | 67,923 | 54.59% | 56,504 | 45.41% | 11,419 | 9.18% | 124,427 |
| Wahkiakum | 1,287 | 53.29% | 1,128 | 46.71% | 159 | 6.58% | 2,415 |
| Walla Walla | 15,023 | 58.83% | 10,513 | 41.17% | 4,510 | 17.66% | 25,536 |
| Whatcom | 57,390 | 52.75% | 51,401 | 47.25% | 5,989 | 5.51% | 108,791 |
| Whitman | 9,552 | 55.57% | 7,637 | 44.43% | 1,915 | 11.14% | 17,189 |
| Yakima | 49,699 | 70.10% | 21,197 | 29.90% | 28,502 | 40.20% | 70,896 |
| Totals | 1,721,487 | 55.88% | 1,359,240 | 44.12% | 362,247 | 11.76% | 3,080,727 |
References
[edit]- ^ Gonick, Peter B. (April 20, 2018). "Final Ballot Title Letter (Court Order)" (PDF). Secretary of State of Washington. Retrieved August 4, 2025.
- ^ Zenone, Marco; Kenworthy, Nora (19 September 2021). "Pre-emption strategies to block taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages: A framing analysis of Facebook advertising in support of Washington state initiative-1634". Global Public Health. 17 (9). Taylor & Francis: 1854–1867. doi:10.1080/17441692.2021.1977971. PMC 10038653. PMID 34542004.
- ^ "Council for Citizens Against Government Waste Endorses Initiative 1634, Prohibiting Local Taxes on Groceries" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: Citizens Against Government Waste. October 17, 2018. Retrieved August 5, 2025.
- ^ "In Our View: Vote 'No' on Initiative 1634". The Columbian. October 3, 2018. ISSN 1043-4151. Archived from the original on August 9, 2024. Retrieved August 5, 2025.
- ^ "I-1634 is a cynical try to stop city soda taxes". The Olympian. October 27, 2018. ISSN 0746-7575. Retrieved August 5, 2025.
- ^ "Don't drink Kool-Aid on Initiative 1634; Washington should say 'no' to Big Soda's $13 million con job". The News Tribune. October 12, 2018. ISSN 1073-5860. Archived from the original on July 8, 2019. Retrieved August 5, 2025.
- ^ Wyman, Kim (November 6, 2018). "Initiative Measure No. 1634 Initiative Measure No. 1634 concerns taxation of certain items intended for human consumption". Secretary of State of Washington. Archived from the original on July 7, 2025. Retrieved November 19, 2025.
- ^ Wyman, Kim (November 6, 2018). "Initiative Measure No. 1634 Initiative Measure No. 1634 concerns taxation of certain items intended for human consumption. - County Results". Secretary of State of Washington. Archived from the original on April 4, 2025. Retrieved November 19, 2025.