Olympia, WA – Washington state’s governor, attorney general, and legislators are set to receive significant pay increases over the next two years. Additionally, salaries for other top officials and hundreds of judges will also rise, though at a slower pace. These raises were approved by the Washington Citizens Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials in a meeting held in Tumwater.

What’s Changing?

The commission has granted lawmakers a 16% pay hike, while the governor and attorney general will see a 14% increase. All state officials will also receive cost-of-living adjustments of 3% in July 2025 and 2% in July 2026, with additional increases for lawmakers and top executives.

Breakdown of Salary Increases

• Legislators: Currently earning $61,997, their salary will increase 9% in July 2025 to $67,688, followed by another 7% in 2026, reaching $72,494. Leaders of the four caucuses will earn more due to their additional responsibilities.
• Governor Bob Ferguson: His annual salary will rise from $204,205 to $234,275 over two years, with 7% raises each year.
• Attorney General Nick Brown: His pay will increase from $193,169 to $221,614 following the same 7% annual raises.
• Other State Executives: Seven officials, including the lieutenant governor, secretary of state, and state auditor, will only receive cost-of-living adjustments.
• Judges: Supreme Court justices and other judges will receive 4% raises in 2025 and 3% in 2026.

Can These Raises Be Reversed?

Once the new salary plan is filed with the Secretary of State’s Office, there will be a 90-day window for a public referendum to challenge it. If no referendum is filed, the pay raises will become official.

Why Are These Raises Being Given?

The commission argued that salaries for lawmakers and executives haven’t kept pace with inflation or the increasing demands of their jobs. Some believe low salaries discourage working parents, small business owners, and young professionals from serving in office.

Commissioner Kirsten Barron explained:

“If we want to encourage legislators to stay connected to their communities, we need to give them more time to do that, and better pay makes this possible.”

However, the commission rejected a motion to increase legislators’ pay by an additional $10,000, fearing public backlash.

Concerns Over Public Reaction

Commission Chair Jon Bridge warned that excessive pay hikes could trigger strong opposition, possibly leading to a successful referendum that cancels all raises for two years.

“If we go too far too fast on this, it could sink the whole plan,” Commissioner Erik Arnold added.

Who Decides These Salaries?

Washington voters created the independent salary commission in 1987 to prevent politicians from setting their own pay. The 17-member panel includes citizens from all 10 congressional districts, along with representatives from business, labor unions, education, legal, and human resources fields.

The commission meets every two years to review and adjust salaries based on job responsibilities. While they can approve raises, they cannot lower salaries of current officeholders.

Final Thoughts

This decision follows months of discussions since the commission first proposed salary increases in October 2024. Now, the public will have a chance to decide whether they agree with these raises—or if they will challenge them before they become law.

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