Legislative District 18 - State Representative Pos. 2 (2-year term)
August 4, 2026 · Legislative (House) District 18; 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 · 28 out of 100
This district is large for its type, so each vote is a smaller slice of the outcome. About 161,259 people live here.
score = 100 × ln(largest population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(largest ÷ smallest), rounded to 2 decimals = 100 × ln(164,798 ÷ 161,259) ÷ ln(164,798 ÷ 152,644) = 28.34, 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
Deken Letinich
Democratic · declared
Deken Letinich is a Democratic candidate for Washington's 18th Legislative District, Position 2. He is a laborer and union organizer with the Washington and Northern Idaho District Council of Laborers, where he serves as assistant political and legislative director.
Records: Public Safety and Crime Control 1 for
John Ley
Republican · Incumbent · declared
John Ley is the Republican state representative for Washington's 18th Legislative District, Position 2. He is a retired U.S. Air Force and Delta Air Lines pilot, former reporter, and small-business owner.
Records: Government Spending Reduction 3 for, Gun Control 1 against, Housing Affordability 2 against, Public Education Quality 2 against, Public Infrastructure 2 for, Social Programs and Welfare 1 for
Election sources
Source: sos.wa.gov