2026 in Washington (state)

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 2026
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Washington (state)

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Decades:
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The following is a list of events of the year 2026 in the U.S. state of Washington.

Incumbents

State government

Events

January

  • January 1
    • State minimum wage increases to $17.13 per hour,[1] highest state rate in the nation, only behind the District of Columbia. Bellingham, Burien, Everett, King County, Renton, SeaTac, Seattle and Tukwila have higher minimums.[2]
    • State nicotine excise tax increases to 95%.[3]
  • January 5
  • January 9 – Two snowmobilers are killed in an avalanche in northern Kittitas County.[7]
  • January 13 – Governor Bob Ferguson delivers his first State of the State speech to the entire Washington State Legislature.[8][9]
  • January 17 – Multiple shootings in the Chinatown-International District in Seattle kill one person and hospitalize four others.[10]
  • January 28 – Amazon announces layoffs for about 2,200 employees in the Seattle area.[11][12]

February

March

April

May

June

  • c. June 11 – State officials announce they will not be sending a delegation to the Great American State Fair for the U.S. Semiquincentennial in the District of Columbia, with Lieutenant Washington State Governor Denny Heck citing cost concerns.[41][42]
  • June 13 – A Marine Corps F/A-18 crashes near Rimrock Lake[43]
  • June 16 – Helion Energy, based in Everett, receives licenses from state regulators to build a fusion power plant in Malaga. It says is the first time a fusion power facility receives full licensing anywhere.[44][45]

July

August

  • August 1 – Governor Bob Ferguson declares a statewide fire emergency.[52]
  • August 1–2 – The Old Trails Fire in and around Spokane destroys 640 structures. On August 3, a man is arrested and charged with arson for setting the fire.[53][54]
  • August 13 – A King County judge orders prediction market Kalshi to cease operations in the state, ruling that it is an illegal gambling operation and violates the Washington Gambling Act and the Consumer Protection Act.[55]

Scheduled

Sports

Events

Professional

College

See also

References

  1. ↑ "2026 Minimum Wage Announcement" (PDF). lni.wa.gov. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2025-12-19. Retrieved 2025-12-04.
  2. ↑ Yannet Lathrop (December 2025), Raises from Coast to Coast in 2026 (PDF), National Employement Law Project, archived (PDF) from the original on 2025-12-03, retrieved 2025-12-04
  3. ↑ Brett Davis (December 31, 2025). "Several new laws to take effect in Washington state in 2026". The Center Square – via Yahoo! News.
  4. ↑ Monica Nickelsberg (January 5, 2026). "Flooding won't dampen Skagit Valley Tulip Festival". Seattle: KUOW. Archived from the original on January 6, 2026. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  5. ↑ Cocoa Laney (December 11, 2025). "For Skagit Valley tulip farmers, flooding is a 'wait-and-see game'". Cascadia Daily News. Bellingham. Archived from the original on January 5, 2026. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  6. ↑ Chris Daniels (January 6, 2026). "Washington AG Nick Brown addresses viral child care fraud complaints, DCYF outlines policy". Seattle: KOMO-TV. Archived from the original on January 6, 2026. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  7. ↑ Romero, Dennis; Alsharif, Mirna (January 11, 2026). "2 men killed in avalanche in central Washington". NBC News. Retrieved January 11, 2026.
  8. ↑ Cornfield, Jerry (2026-01-14). "What WA Gov. Bob Ferguson said, and left unsaid, in his State of the State address • Washington State Standard". Washington State Standard. Archived from the original on 2026-05-27. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  9. ↑ "State of WA: Ferguson drops maverick tone, backs income tax on the wealthy". The Seattle Times. 2026-01-13. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  10. ↑ Jensen, Jim (2026-01-17). "One dead, others injured after shootings in Seattle's Chinatown-International District". Fox 13 Seattle. Archived from the original on 2026-01-17. Retrieved 2026-01-17.
  11. ↑ Nickelsburg, Monica (2026-01-28). "Amazon lays off 16,000 employees in major reduction of force". www.kuow.org. Archived from the original on 2026-05-27. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  12. ↑ Nickelsburg, Monica (2026-02-02). "Amazon layoffs include more than 2,000 jobs in Seattle area". www.kuow.org. Archived from the original on 2026-05-27. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  13. ↑ Tanyos, Fanis (February 8, 2026). "Seahawks win 2026 Super Bowl. Here are the highlights from the big game". CBS News. Retrieved February 8, 2026.
  14. 1 2 "Elections – dates and deadlines 2026". Official website. Washington Secretary of State. Archived from the original on 2026-01-17. Retrieved 2026-01-23.
  15. ↑ "February 2026 Special Election". King County Department of Elections. Archived from the original on 2026-01-15. Retrieved 2026-01-23.
  16. ↑ Wiley, Elizabeth (February 8, 2026). "Here's what we know about the Seahawks Championship Ceremony and Parade in Seattle". KING-TV. Archived from the original on February 9, 2026. Retrieved February 9, 2026.
  17. ↑ Goldstein-Street, Jake (2026-02-18). "Washington flood damage totals at least $182M, governor says". Washington State Standard. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  18. ↑ "Man stabs four people to death in Washington state". The Guardian. February 24, 2026. Retrieved February 24, 2026.
  19. ↑ "Suspect and 4 others are dead after stabbing near Tacoma, Washington, authorities say". The Associated Press. February 24, 2026. Archived from the original on February 24, 2026. Retrieved February 24, 2026.
  20. ↑ Sagrero Álvarez, Gustavo (2026-03-10). "Seattle bans new ICE detention centers for 1 year". KUOW. Archived from the original on 2026-03-11. Retrieved 2026-03-11.
  21. ↑ "Powerful windstorm sweeps across Western Washington leaving 1 dead, 35,000 without power". KUOW. 2026-03-12. Retrieved 2026-03-12.
  22. ↑ Elizabeth Wiley (January 23, 2026). "Sound Transit says crosslake light rail connection will open in late March". KING-TV.
  23. ↑ Fahmy, Natalie (2026-03-30). "'Millionaires tax' signed into law by Gov. Bob Ferguson". Seattle: KOMO-TV. Archived from the original on 2026-03-31. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  24. ↑ Sarah Mizes-Tan (April 9, 2026). "New lawsuit challenges constitutionality of Washington's 'millionaires tax'". Tacoma: KNKX.
  25. ↑ Drew Mikkelsen (March 6, 2026). "Gov. Ferguson says he'll sign latest version of millionaire's income tax proposal". Portland, Oregon: KGW-TV. The proposal, which would institute Washington's first-ever income tax...
  26. ↑ "Statewide drought declared due to dismal snowpack". ecology.wa.gov. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  27. ↑ "Short-lived waterspout spotted over Puget Sound west of Magnolia, NWS says". Seattle: KOMO-TV. April 15, 2026.
  28. ↑ Cliff Mass (April 17, 2026). "The Origin of the Puget Sound Tornado". Cliff Mass Weather Blog.
  29. ↑ "Stabbing at Washington state high school wounds 6, including suspect, police say". The Associated Press. April 30, 2026. Archived from the original on May 4, 2026. Retrieved May 1, 2026.
  30. ↑ Fletcher, Zachary (May 8, 2026). "First wildfire of 2026 reported in Central Washington". Kitsap Sun. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
  31. ↑ Anna Hull (May 7, 2026). "UW Canvas domain appears to be hacked by criminal 'pay or leak' extortion group". The Daily of the University of Washington. Archived from the original on May 7, 2026. Retrieved May 28, 2026.
  32. ↑ Luke Duecy (May 16, 2026). "Tech Talk: Canvas cyberattack disrupts UW, WSU, schools nationwide during finals week". MyNorthwest.com. Seattle: KIRO. Archived from the original on May 26, 2026. Retrieved May 28, 2026.
  33. ↑ Stephen Howie (May 7, 2026). "Canvas cyberattack halts learning at Washington state universities". Seattle: KUOW. Archived from the original on May 26, 2026. Retrieved May 28, 2026.
  34. ↑ Shapiro, Emily (May 15, 2026). "Transgender University of Washington student stabbed over 40 times: Court documents". ABC News. Archived from the original on May 15, 2026. Retrieved May 15, 2026.
  35. ↑ Jim Jensen (May 25, 2026). "Chelan County WA government shuts down networks after cyberattack". AOL News.
  36. ↑ Gamboa, Suzanne; Helsel, Phil; Cheskey, Morgan; Douglas, David (May 27, 2026). "11 presumed dead in Washington state paper mill implosion as rescue shifts to recovery". NBC News. Retrieved May 28, 2026.
  37. ↑ Rush, Claire; Boone, Rebecca (May 26, 2026). "Deaths reported after tank implodes at Washington pulp and paper mill". The Associated Press. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
  38. ↑ "1 confirmed dead, 9 others missing after chemical implosion at facility in SW Washington". KATU. 2026-05-26. Archived from the original on 2026-05-26. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  39. ↑ Bishop, Todd; Stiffler, Lisa (2026-05-26). "Meta cuts nearly 1,400 jobs in Seattle area, 20% of local workforce, in sweeping AI revamp". GeekWire. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  40. ↑ Oxley, Dyer (2026-05-19). "Starbucks lays off hundreds connected to Seattle HQ". www.kuow.org. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  41. ↑ Piper Hudspeth Blackburn (June 11, 2026). "At least six states are bowing out of Trump's 'Great American State Fair'". CNN.
  42. ↑ Sarah Davis (June 22, 2026). "Democratic-led states balk at 'Great American State Fair'". The Hill.
  43. ↑ Bill Feather (June 13, 2026). "Pilot safely ejects before fighter jet crashes into mountain in Washington state woodlands". NBC News.
  44. ↑ "Helion says it is first US fusion energy firm to clear regulatory licenses". Reuters. June 16, 2026.
  45. ↑ Avery Cooper (June 16, 2026). "Helion Secures Key Licenses for Malaga Fusion Plant". Wenatchee: KPQ-FM.
  46. ↑ Yam, Kimmy (July 18, 2026). "Seattle Darling Jimothy The Raccoon Has Scampered Into Hearts Across The Globe". Today Show. Retrieved July 24, 2026.
  47. ↑ Johnson, Gene (July 16, 2026). "Trump immediately fires the new court-appointed top prosecutor in Seattle". The Associated Press. Retrieved July 16, 2026.
  48. ↑ Alexandra Duggan (July 24, 2026). "Kaiser Canyon fire around Nespelem surpasses 100,000 acres". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane. Retrieved 2026-07-26.
  49. ↑ Nick Hawthorne (July 25, 2026). "Level 3 (Go Now) evacuations for the town of Nespelem due to the Kaiser Canyon Fire". Spokane: KXLY-TV.
  50. ↑ Johnson, Gene (July 27, 2026). "A shootout that killed 3 at a food festival near Seattle's Space Needle may have been gang-related". The Associated Press. Retrieved July 27, 2026.
  51. ↑ Johnson, Gene; Bellisle, Martha (2026-07-30). "Seattle police chief resigns under pressure from mayor over response to festival shooting". Associated Press. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
  52. ↑ "Gov. Ferguson declares statewide wildfire emergency, burn ban through Sept. 30". Seattle: KING-TV. August 1, 2026.
  53. ↑ "Wildfire destroys 640 structures". Spokesman.com. August 2, 2026.
  54. ↑ Valdes, Manuel; White, Ed; Bellisle, Martha; Johnson, Gene (August 4, 2026). "Man charged with setting Spokane's largest wildfire was questioned about 2 other blazes last year". The Associated Press. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  55. ↑ "Kalshi ordered to cease most betting operations in WA". MyNorthwest. August 13, 2026. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  56. 1 2 Tim Booth (June 12, 2026). "2026 World Cup: Here's what to know about the 6 games in Seattle". The Seattle Times.
  57. ↑ 2026 World Cup: Full List of Matches, Schedule, Sports Illustrated, December 5, 2025
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