2026 General Election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Washington House District 5, Position 1 (special election)

2 candidates, listed alphabetically.

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Washington uses a top-two primary: the two candidates with the most votes in the August 4 primary advanced, regardless of party preference. Special election.

Candidates

Michelle Bennett

Republican

Work: Former police chief (Maple Valley, Sammamish, Mercer Island); college instructor

Listed in the official Washington voters' pamphlet. Elected experience: President: King County Police Chiefs/Sheriffs, WA State FBI National Academy Associates, Washington State Police Chief's and Sheriff's Executive Board, Legislative Committee Co-Chair, Northwestern University Alumni Board.

Michelle Bennett served as police chief in Maple Valley, Sammamish and Mercer Island after a career in the King County Sheriff's Office that included work as a North Bend deputy and planning and operations major. She teaches at Northwestern University and Bellevue College and has been president of the King County Police Chiefs and Sheriffs association.

Families in the 5th Legislative District deserve safer communities, stronger schools, and a state government that respects the people paying the bills. Olympia recently voted for the largest tax increase in state history while many families struggle with rising costs. P olice have also been left without clear tools to protect victims and neighborhoods. …

Candidate's statement in the official Washington voters' pamphlet · Washington Secretary of State

Bennett's experience

Elected experience: President: King County Police Chiefs/Sheriffs, WA State FBI National Academy Associates, Washington State Police Chief's and Sheriff's Executive Board, Legislative Committee Co-Chair, Northwestern University Alumni Board.
Other professional experience: Instructor: Northwestern University, Bellevue College. Police Chief: Maple Valley, Sammamish, Mercer Island. Planning and Operations Major in King County Sheriff’s Office, KCSO Deputy in North Bend.
Community service: Take a Stand Against Bullying curriculum co-creator used in multiple states, created several community programs including Sammamish Healthy Communities Coalitions, and Youth Explorer and Volunteer Programs.

Bennett's education

Doctorate in Education, Seattle Pacific University. Master of Science in Organizational Development, Bachelor of Arts in Law and Justice, Central Washington University.

Sources for Bennett

Online Voters' Guide, General Election November 3, 2026 (Washington Secretary of State, Public record)

Zach Hall

DemocraticIncumbent

In office now: State Representative, District 5 (since 2025)
Work: State Representative, 5th District; former legislative assistant and municipal consultant

Listed in the official Washington voters' pamphlet. Elected experience: Current State Representative; Vice Chair of House Environment & Energy Committee; Member of House Local Government and Transportation Committees; Former Issaquah City Councilmember

Zach Hall is the current state representative for the 5th District and vice chair of the House Environment and Energy Committee; he previously served on the Issaquah City Council. He worked as a legislative assistant in the House and as a consultant to cities and state agencies.

As your representative, I’m focused on building consensus and strong communities. In my first session, I sponsored and passed bipartisan bills to lower energy costs, prioritized safety and congestion improvements along SR 18, and supported reforms to fix our housing crisis. …

Candidate's statement in the official Washington voters' pamphlet · Washington Secretary of State

Hall's experience

Elected experience: Current State Representative; Vice Chair of House Environment & Energy Committee; Member of House Local Government and Transportation Committees; Former Issaquah City Councilmember
Other professional experience: Former Legislative Assistant for WA House of Representatives; Previously consulted for cities and state agencies
Community service: Zach previously chaired the Eastside Fire & Rescue Board, ensuring first responders had what they needed to keep us safe. A lifelong Issaquah resident, he’s passionate about salmon recovery and serves on the Friends of the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery Board.

Hall's education

Master of Public Administration, University of Washington Evans School of Public Policy & Governance
Bachelor of Science, University of Washington

Hall's committees

Environment & Energy
Local Government
Transportation

Sources for Hall

Online Voters' Guide, General Election November 3, 2026 (Washington Secretary of State, Public record)
Washington State Legislature: current member roster (Washington State Legislature (legislative web services), Public record)
Washington State Legislature: committee information (Washington State Legislature (legislative web services), Public record)

Sources

Candidate list and race details

GENERAL 2026 Candidate List (VoteWA, election 899) (Washington Secretary of State, Public record)

What's included: U.S. Senate and House, statewide offices, every state legislative district on the ballot and statewide ballot measures.
Everything else: Local races (county, city, school board, judges) and anything else on your ballot are on your official sample ballot: voter.votewa.gov.
Candidate lists: As of Wednesday, October 14, 2026.

This is not an official ballot. Confirm your registration, polling place and ballot with your election office through vote.gov.