Legislative District 31 - State Representative Position 2
August 4, 2026 · Legislative (House) District 31; 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: Low · 30 out of 100
This district is large for its type, so each vote is a smaller slice of the outcome. About 160,958 people live here.
score = 100 × ln(largest population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(largest ÷ smallest), rounded to 2 decimals = 100 × ln(164,798 ÷ 160,958) ÷ ln(164,798 ÷ 152,644) = 30.77, comparing state house districts in WA (grades: 66+ high, 33+ average, otherwise low)
Decisiveness: Unknown
No past results for this contest yet.
Low representation + unknown decisiveness → Below 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
John Bielka
Democratic · declared
John Bielka is a civil engineer, cattle farmer, and retired public-works leader with more than 30 years of experience managing infrastructure, budgets, and operations.
Records: Environment and Public Health 1 for
Joshua Penner
Republican · Incumbent · declared
Joshua Penner is a Washington state representative for District 31, Position 2, a former mayor of Orting, a business owner, and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served in Iraq.
Records: Corporate Accountability 1 for, Environment and Public Health 1 against, Government Spending Reduction 5 for, Gun Control 1 against, Housing Affordability 2 against, Personal Income Tax Reduction 1 for, Public Infrastructure 1 for, Social Programs and Welfare 1 against
Election sources
Source: sos.wa.gov