Today, Washington voters rejected Initiative 2117 and secured the Climate Commitment Act’s place in state law. In response, Evergreen Action Senior State Program Director Justin Balik released the following statement:

“Initiative 2117 was a politically motivated, multi-billionaire-backed effort to repeal a landmark piece of climate legislation—and Washington voters saw right through it. Ever since its passage in 2021, Washington’s Climate Commitment Act has faced non-stop attacks from Republicans and special interests. But today, Washingtonians rejected the misinformation and scare tactics and overwhelmingly voted no on Initiative 2117. 

“The defeat of Initiative 2117 is a major victory for bold state-level climate action and a decisive affirmation of Governor Inslee’s popular policies that made Washington a national leader on climate change. The Climate Commitment Act is a nation-leading climate policy that will hold big polluters accountable and invest in critical environmental initiatives and projects across the state. Following tonight’s resounding victory, other states can look to Washington’s policy and see that it is not only ambitious and effective—it’s also popular. This victory in Washington continues a 2024 trend of voters rejecting initiatives to undo state-level climate laws.

“We’ve also seen voters in states like Michigan and Wisconsin block similarly motivated attacks on climate policies. Voters are sending a clear message: Climate is a winning issue. 

“We applaud Governor Inslee and the advocates who worked tirelessly to ensure this critical policy remains enshrined in state law. By voting to protect the Climate Commitment Act, Washingtonians defended the state’s legacy as a leader in climate policy and ensured that big polluters will pay.”