Washington voters were rejecting Initiative IL26-001, which would restore the 2024 parents’ rights law as lawmakers originally passed it, in early returns Tuesday night, 55.0% to 45.0%.
Statewide, the measure had 517,766 yes votes and 633,502 no votes, according to the Washington Secretary of State.
In Kitsap County, 46.7% of voters said yes and 53.3% no, according to unofficial results posted by the Kitsap County Auditor’s Office at 8:13 p.m. Tuesday.
The ballot measure summary reads: “This measure would repeal amendments to a statute listing certain rights of parents and guardians of public-school children and re-enact the law as it was originally enacted by Initiative to the Legislature 2081.”
Countywide, 92,136 ballots had been counted, a turnout of 45.1% of Kitsap County’s 204,242 registered voters.
The Kitsap County Auditor’s Office will keep counting ballots in the coming days, including mailed ballots postmarked by Election Day, and results can change. The county is scheduled to certify the election Nov. 24.
Initiative IL26-001 would repeal changes the Legislature made in 2025 to the parents’ rights law created by Initiative 2081 and re-enact the law as lawmakers originally passed it in 2024. The law lists rights of parents of public school students, including to review instructional materials and student records, receive certain notifications and opt children out of certain activities. A key 2025 change removed parental access to certain medical records.
It is an initiative to the Legislature sponsored by Let’s Go Washington, led by Brian Heywood. Lawmakers did not act on it during the 2026 session, sending it to voters.
Opponents, organized as No Hate in WA State, say it would invade students’ privacy and could force schools to disclose LGBTQ students’ identities to families. A yes vote restores the original 2024 law; a no vote keeps the 2025 amendments.
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