Washington Commissioner Winning Sixth Term, Prop. 22 in California Passes

Incumbent Mike Kreidler was leading Republican challenger Chirayu Patel in the race for Washington insurance commissioner as vote counting continued on Wednesday.

Kreidler, who’s seeking a sixth term in office, had 67% of the vote and Patel had 32% of the vote.

Libertarian challenger Anthony Welti was defeated in the primary. He ran on a platform of government, health insurance and auto insurance reform. He promised to streamline the auto insurance approval process, which he said is “shrouded in bureaucratic red tape and cronyism, strangling innovation and stifling those brave enough to try to change the system.”

Patel, a part-time insurance agent, garnered 644,446 votes in the primary to Kreidler’s 1.4 million votes.

Patel has brought some unconventional ideas to the race, including reportedly finding 168 insurance agents who are qualified to each serve in one hour long stints as “Internal Insurance Commissioners of Washington state.”

Kreidler has been big on battling climate change, and protecting healthcare. He recently undertook a fight to prohibit insurers from including information from consumer credit histories in the insurance scores used to calculate premiums for auto, homeowners, renters and life insurance policies.

Kreidler has also been big on collecting premium taxes. Kreidler in September announced he has begun a study to determine how many organizations in Washington are not paying insurance premium tax as required under state law.

In Western states of California, Oregon, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, and Alaska, there are no races because either the commissioner in those states is appointed or the incumbent isn’t up for reelection.

Matt Rosendale is Montana’s Commissioner of Securities and Insurance, State Auditor. He took office in 2017, and his current term ends on Jan. 4, 2021.

Rosendale (R) is running for election to the U.S. House for Montana’s At-Large Congressional District. He was leading Democratic Kathleen Williams with 44% of the vote with 454 of 663 precincts fully reporting.

Troy Downing, a Republican, is ahead in the race for Montana State Auditor. Downing, who is in commercial real estate, had 55% of the votes, putting him in a solid lead over Democrat Shane A. Morigeau.

California had several initiatives on the ballot, including Proposition 22, which would effect the state’s gig economy workers. Proposition 22, known as “Exempts App-Based Transportation and Delivery Companies from Providing Employee Benefits to Certain Drivers,” amends a law created by Assembly Bill 5, a 2019 statute that expands a landmark Supreme Court of California case, Dynamex Operations West, Inc. v. Superior Court.

Uber, Lyft, Doordash, Instacart and Postmates, some of whom threaten to shut down in California if they lose, have poured $202 million into what has become the most expensive ballot campaign in state history. Prop 22 would leave gig workers as contractors and provide them with more modest benefits than state law, including minimum pay while riders are in their cars, healthcare subsidies and accident insurance.

“Yes” on Prop 22 was leading with 58.4% vs. 41.6% “No” votes and 99% of precincts reporting.

Voters also overwhelmingly supported Proposition 24, the Consumer Personal Information Law and Agency Initiative. Prop 24 expands the state’s consumer data privacy laws, including enabling consumers to direct businesses not to share their personal information.

“Yes” on Prop 24 had 56.1% of the vote vs. 43.9% “No” votes.

Topics California Washington