Legislative District 17 - State Representative Position 1
August 4, 2026 · Legislative (House) District 17; 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 · 36 out of 100
This district is mid-sized for its type, so each vote carries average weight. About 160,202 people live here.
score = 100 × ln(largest population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(largest ÷ smallest), rounded to 2 decimals = 100 × ln(164,798 ÷ 160,202) ÷ ln(164,798 ÷ 152,644) = 36.92, 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
Ben Christly
Democratic · declared
Ben Christly is a Clark County Charter Review commissioner for District 3, Position 1. He is a Navy veteran, flight nurse, and small-business founder. After joining the Navy at 17, he earned a nursing degree and has worked in patient care for more than 20 years.
Kevin Waters
Republican · Incumbent · declared
Kevin Waters is the Washington state representative for District 17, Position 1. He founded Backwoods Brewing and grew it to more than 70 employees, and he has worked as Skamania County's economic development manager and as executive director of the Skamania Economic Development Council. He previously served as a Port of Skamania commissioner from 2010 through 2019.
Records: Civil Rights 1 against, Environment and Public Health 2 for, 1 against, Government Efficiency 1 for, Government Spending Reduction 4 for, Gun Control 2 against, Housing Affordability 1 for, 2 against, Public Infrastructure 1 for, Public Safety and Crime Control 1 for
Election sources
Source: sos.wa.gov