UW Tacoma students reflect on the 2026 midterm election results
UW Tacoma students share their thoughts on the predicted results of the 2026 midterm election.
By Kai Lee
With the election results still coming in, many people are watching in anticipation. Some students at UW Tacoma reflect on the Nov. 3, 2026, election results.
On Nov. 4, Shayla Pitre, a senior at UW Tacoma, explained that she voted against Initiative 645, which aimed to repeal the millionaires’ tax. The initiative was predicted to not pass.
“I feel like they should tax millionaires,” Pitre said. “… I’m glad that one didn’t go the other way.”
Initiative 001, the “Parents Bill of Rights,” focused on giving parents more access to certain records about their child held at their school.
“I feel like parents should have a right to see what their kids are learning,” Pitre said. “I don’t see what the problem is. Do they not want [parents] to know? Parents—whether they know or not—they don’t write the book that they learn from in school. If you don’t want them to learn about certain things, then homeschool them.” She voted in favor of the initiative.
Initiative 001 was predicted not to pass. The last initiative, Initiative 638, aimed to ban trans girls from girls’ sports in K-12 schools. Pitre voted in favor of Initiative 638.
It was predicted to pass.
“People are actually getting out to vote,” Jostin Cuenc, a junior at UW Tacoma, said. “Even if the Democratic Party is winning or the Republican Party is winning, what matters is that we keep pushing the government to get the things that we want… What matters is that there is a lot of involvement in the community, and the community wanted a change.”
The move toward the democratic party “is a result of the involvement people are giving,” Cuenc added.
As of Nov. 12, 2026, Initiative 645 is predicted not to pass, while Initiative 001 is predicted not to pass. Initiative 638 is predicted to pass.
Eight of the 10 U.S. House Districts in Washington state are predicted to be won by Democrats, and Republicans are predicted to win two, according to AP News.
“Anything could happen,” said Sergio Ramirze, a senior at UW Tacoma, referring to the results as of Nov. 4. “At the end of the day, I just hope it benefits the people. Half of the people like one side, while the other half like the other side. You’re really just looking at what benefits the majority.”
