Legislative District 40 - State Representative Pos. 1
August 4, 2026 · Legislative (House) District 40; Washington · State house district · primary
How do we calculate vote impact?
Vote impact = representation (how much weight one vote carries here, the smaller the district's population, the higher the representation) + decisiveness (how likely this race is to be close, based on past results and number of candidates).
Representation: Average · 50 out of 100
This district is mid-sized for its type, so each vote carries average weight. About 158,487 people live here.
score = 100 × ln(largest population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(largest ÷ smallest), rounded to 2 decimals = 100 × ln(164,798 ÷ 158,487) ÷ ln(164,798 ÷ 152,644) = 50.97, comparing state house districts in WA (grades: 66+ high, 33+ average, otherwise low)
Decisiveness: Unknown
No past results for this contest yet.
Average representation + unknown decisiveness → Average vote impact.
Some data is missing, so this rating is based on partial information and capped at "High".
This office is responsible for:
- Voting on state laws and the state budget
- Representing their district in the statehouse
- Serving on committees that shape bills before final votes
- Helping district residents deal with state agencies
Affected Areas: Environment and Public Health, Reduce Wealth Gap, Anti-Corruption, Government Efficiency, Healthcare Affordability, Government Spending Reduction, Public Safety and Crime Control, Housing Affordability, Social Programs and Welfare, Public Education Quality, Gun Control, Women's Reproductive Rights, Election Integrity, Personal Income Tax Reduction, Data Privacy, Civil Rights, Corporate Accountability, Public Infrastructure
Candidates
Cindy Carter
Republican · declared
Cindy Carter is an Orcas Island candidate with a B.S. in medical technology and five years of chemistry-laboratory experience at Virginia Mason Medical Center. She has held county and state Republican Party leadership roles and volunteered with local nonprofits and churches.
Debra Lekanoff
Democratic · Incumbent · declared
Debra Lekanoff has represented Washington House District 40, Position 1 since 2019. She previously served as governmental-affairs director for the Swinomish Tribe and has more than two decades of government-relations experience.
Records: Civil Rights 7 for, Environment and Public Health 10 for, Gun Control 1 for, Healthcare Affordability 2 for, Housing Affordability 1 for, Public Education Quality 2 for, Public Safety and Crime Control 7 for, Reduce Wealth Gap 1 for
Election sources
Source: sos.wa.gov
Source: sos.wa.gov
Source: www2.sos.wa.gov