Liias Holds State Senate Seat in 21st District
Incumbent Democrats lead early returns in several Snohomish County-area legislative races on Tuesday night.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections
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Incumbent Democrat Marko Liias received 72.3% of the vote in the 21st District state Senate race against Republican Riaz Khan, who received 27.4%. Early results Tuesday evening also showed incumbent Democrat Strom Peterson leading challenger Jason Moon 58.8% to 39.8% in House Position 1, and Lillian Ortiz-Self holding 72.5% against Bruce Guthrie's roughly 27% in House Position 2.
Why it matters
The early returns point to continuity in the 21st District's legislative delegation, with all three incumbents positioned to retain their seats. Liias has served in the state Senate since 2014, while Peterson and Ortiz-Self have served in the state House since 2015 and 2014, respectively.
Early unofficial returns show Liias at 72.3% against Khan's 27.4%, while Peterson led Moon 58.8% to 39.8% and Ortiz-Self led Guthrie 72.5% to roughly 27%. Campaign contributions as of Monday ranged from $54,917 to $455,167 across the four candidates, and the figures remain preliminary pending certification.
The players
Marko Liias
Liias is a Democrat who has served in the Washington state Senate since 2014 and is the incumbent in the 21st District Senate race.
Strom Peterson
Peterson is a Democrat who has served in the Washington state House since 2015 and also serves on the Snohomish County Council.
Lillian Ortiz-Self
Ortiz-Self is a Democrat who has served in the Washington state House since 2014 and is the incumbent in House Position 2 of the 21st District.
The details
Results were reported Tuesday evening, with the 21st District incumbents leading in each race reviewed. Khan filed a mini reporting campaign with the state Public Disclosure Commission and is limited to spending no more than $7,000 on the race.
Timeline
2014: Marko Liias begins service in the state Senate.
2015: Strom Peterson begins service in the state House.
Monday, November 2, 2026: Campaign contribution totals are reported.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026: Early election results show incumbents leading in 21st District races.
Political Context
The early returns continue a pattern of incumbent Democrats holding the 21st District's legislative seats, with Liias, Peterson, and Ortiz-Self each serving since 2014 or 2015. The results show these incumbents leading their challengers by wide margins, consistent with their established tenure in the state Senate and House.
For voters in the 21st District, the early results signal that current legislators are positioned to continue representing them in Olympia. Residents in the district will see the same incumbents on the ballot in their legislative races, and the final certified totals will determine the official outcome.
The takeaway
Incumbent retention in the 21st District reflects the advantages of longtime service, and voters who want to track the final results can follow the official count as it is certified. Checking the official county and state election results is the most reliable way to confirm the outcome once counting is complete.
Further reading
For more on how the state's legislative contests are organized, see the Elections section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Herald net.
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