Willoughby Leads Burnett in District 12 Race
Democrat Stacy Willoughby holds an early lead over Republican incumbent Brian Burnett in the Position 1 House contest.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections
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In initial results reported Tuesday, Democrat Stacy Willoughby led Republican incumbent Brian Burnett 51.5% to 48.5% in the District 12 Position 1 House race. In the Position 2 race, Republican incumbent Mike Steele led Democrat Maggie Adams 54.4% to 45.5%.
Why it matters
The results determine who will represent District 12 in the state House, which spans Chelan County and parts of King County. Initial margins are close enough that the counting and certification process will decide the outcome for Washington voters in the district.
These are initial unofficial returns, with Willoughby ahead by 3 percentage points in Position 1 and Steele ahead by about 9 points in Position 2. Campaign fundraising totals show Willoughby raising $203,421 against Burnett's $186,480, while Steele raised $192,035 against Adams's $16,610, but the final outcome depends on certified counts that are still pending.
The players
Stacy Willoughby
Democratic candidate for District 12 Position 1, a 52-year-old Chelan resident who is leading in initial returns.
Brian Burnett
Republican incumbent for District 12 Position 1 who was first elected in 2024 after a 25-year career in the Chelan County Sheriff's Office and 12 years as Sheriff.
Mike Steele
Republican incumbent for District 12 Position 2 who leads Democrat Maggie Adams in initial returns.
Maggie Adams
Democratic candidate challenging Republican incumbent Mike Steele for District 12 Position 2.
The details
Initial results were reported Tuesday for the two District 12 House races. Snohomish County will certify its results Nov. 24, and the state will certify the statewide election results by Dec. 3.
Timeline
Tuesday: Initial results reported for District 12 races.
Nov. 24: Snohomish County certifies its results.
Dec. 3: State certifies election results.
Political Context
Because both races are being decided on initial returns, the outcome depends on the county canvass and state certification steps that follow. Those steps are the stage at which any late-counted ballots and final tallies will be formally confirmed.
The outcome determines which candidate represents District 12 in the state House for the next term, shaping legislation affecting Chelan and King County residents. Voters in the district will see final results only after county and state certification is complete.
The takeaway
Initial returns can shift during canvassing, so the certified results will be the final word on both District 12 races. Watching the county certification dates is the clearest way to follow the outcome.
What happens next
Snohomish County will certify its results Nov. 24, and the state will certify the election results by Dec. 3.
Further reading
Track the full ballot counting and certification timeline in our Elections coverage for Washington.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Herald net.
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