Legislative District 48 - State Senator
August 4, 2026 · Legislative (Senate) District 48; Washington · State senate 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 · 33 out of 100
This district is mid-sized for its type, so each vote carries average weight. About 160,654 people live here.
score = 100 × ln(largest population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(largest ÷ smallest), rounded to 2 decimals = 100 × ln(164,798 ÷ 160,654) ÷ ln(164,798 ÷ 152,644) = 33.24, comparing state senate districts in WA (grades: 66+ high, 33+ average, otherwise low)
Decisiveness: None · only 1 candidate
One candidate is running unopposed, so votes can't change the outcome.
Average representation + an uncontested race → Below average vote impact.
State Senator is responsible for:
- Voting on state laws and the state budget
- Representing their district in the state senate
- Confirming certain governor appointments in many states
- 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
Vandana Slatter
Democratic · Incumbent · declared
Vandana Slatter is the Democratic Washington state senator for Legislative District 48. She is vice chair of the Senate Environment, Energy & Technology and Health & Long-Term Care committees and serves on Higher Education & Workforce Development. Elected to the Senate in 2025, she previously served four consecutive House terms and on the Bellevue City Council. Slatter is a licensed pharmacist and clinical scientist with more than 20 years in biotech, and served on the Washington State Board of Pharmacy.
Election sources
Source: sos.wa.gov
Source: sos.wa.gov
Source: www2.sos.wa.gov