2004 Washington Public Lands Commissioner election
November 2, 2004
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Sutherland: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Cooper: 40–50% 50–60% | ||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Washington (state) |
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The 2004 Washington Public Lands Commissioner election was held on November 2, 2004, to elect the Washington Public Lands Commissioner, concurrently with the 2004 U.S. presidential election, as well as elections to the U.S. Senate and various state and local elections, including for U.S. House and governor of Washington.
Incumbent Republican Public Lands Commissioner Doug Sutherland narrowly defeated Democratic challenger Mike Cooper.[1] Primary elections took place on September 14.[2]
Republican primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Doug Sutherland, incumbent public lands commissioner (2001–2009)[3]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Doug Sutherland (incumbent) | 433,069 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 433,069 | 100.00% | ||
Democratic primary
Candidates
Nominee
- Mike Cooper, state representative (1997–2005)[5]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mike Cooper | 600,476 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 600,476 | 100.00% | ||
Libertarian primary
Candidates
Nominee
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Libertarian | Steve Layman | 12,641 | 100.00% | |
| Total votes | 12,641 | 100.00% | ||
General election
Endorsements
Doug Sutherland (R)
Newspapers
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Doug Sutherland (incumbent) | 1,309,441 | 49.96 | +0.48 | |
| Democratic | Mike Cooper | 1,223,207 | 46.67 | +1.55 | |
| Libertarian | Steve Layman | 88,171 | 3.36 | –2.04 | |
| Total votes | 2,620,819 | 100.00 | N/A | ||
| Republican hold | |||||
By county
| County[8] | Doug Sutherland
Republican |
Mike Cooper
Democratic |
Steve Layman
Libertarian |
Margin | Total votes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Adams | 3,418 | 72.68% | 1,173 | 24.94% | 112 | 2.38% | 2,245 | 47.74% | 4,703 |
| Asotin | 4,718 | 58.84% | 3,063 | 38.20% | 237 | 2.96% | 1,655 | 20.64% | 8,018 |
| Benton | 41,003 | 68.00% | 17,562 | 29.13% | 1,733 | 2.87% | 23,441 | 38.88% | 60,298 |
| Chelan | 17,980 | 66.48% | 8,237 | 30.46% | 828 | 3.06% | 9,743 | 36.03% | 27,045 |
| Clallam | 18,114 | 55.26% | 13,541 | 41.31% | 1,124 | 3.43% | 4,573 | 13.95% | 32,779 |
| Clark | 84,627 | 54.65% | 64,916 | 41.92% | 5,313 | 3.43% | 19,711 | 12.73% | 154,856 |
| Columbia | 1,409 | 73.31% | 460 | 23.93% | 53 | 2.76% | 949 | 49.38% | 1,922 |
| Cowlitz | 20,157 | 51.14% | 18,017 | 45.71% | 1,240 | 3.15% | 2,140 | 5.43% | 39,414 |
| Douglas | 8,667 | 69.50% | 3,433 | 27.53% | 370 | 2.97% | 5,234 | 41.97% | 12,470 |
| Ferry | 1,934 | 62.81% | 1,025 | 33.29% | 120 | 3.90% | 909 | 29.52% | 3,079 |
| Franklin | 10,064 | 65.72% | 4,812 | 31.42% | 438 | 2.86% | 5,252 | 34.30% | 15,314 |
| Garfield | 876 | 74.11% | 280 | 23.69% | 26 | 2.20% | 596 | 50.42% | 1,182 |
| Grant | 16,417 | 68.27% | 6,886 | 28.64% | 743 | 3.09% | 9,531 | 39.64% | 24,046 |
| Grays Harbor | 14,904 | 56.82% | 10,609 | 40.45% | 716 | 2.73% | 4,295 | 16.38% | 26,229 |
| Island | 18,423 | 52.94% | 14,901 | 42.82% | 1,476 | 4.24% | 3,522 | 10.12% | 34,800 |
| Jefferson | 7,030 | 41.08% | 9,465 | 55.31% | 617 | 3.61% | -2,435 | -14.23% | 17,112 |
| King | 319,257 | 39.72% | 456,907 | 56.84% | 27,634 | 3.44% | -137,650 | -17.12% | 803,798 |
| Kitsap | 54,819 | 49.49% | 51,970 | 46.92% | 3,982 | 3.59% | 2,849 | 2.57% | 110,771 |
| Kittitas | 8,698 | 58.28% | 5,716 | 38.30% | 510 | 3.42% | 2,982 | 19.98% | 14,924 |
| Klickitat | 4,943 | 58.34% | 3,192 | 37.67% | 338 | 3.99% | 1,751 | 20.67% | 8,473 |
| Lewis | 20,047 | 67.90% | 8,590 | 29.09% | 889 | 3.01% | 11,457 | 38.80% | 29,526 |
| Lincoln | 3,655 | 70.13% | 1,407 | 27.00% | 150 | 2.88% | 2,248 | 43.13% | 5,212 |
| Mason | 12,878 | 55.34% | 9,554 | 41.06% | 837 | 3.60% | 3,324 | 14.29% | 23,269 |
| Okanogan | 9,217 | 62.11% | 4,998 | 33.68% | 624 | 4.21% | 4,219 | 28.43% | 14,839 |
| Pacific | 4,913 | 51.92% | 4,235 | 44.75% | 315 | 3.33% | 678 | 7.16% | 9,463 |
| Pend Oreille | 3,421 | 59.76% | 2,046 | 35.74% | 258 | 4.51% | 1,375 | 24.02% | 5,725 |
| Pierce | 159,691 | 54.05% | 127,213 | 43.06% | 8,535 | 2.89% | 32,478 | 10.99% | 295,439 |
| San Juan | 3,448 | 37.22% | 5,308 | 57.30% | 508 | 5.48% | -1,860 | -20.08% | 9,264 |
| Skagit | 26,028 | 53.61% | 20,864 | 42.97% | 1,662 | 3.42% | 5,164 | 10.64% | 48,554 |
| Skamania | 2,629 | 55.34% | 1,903 | 40.05% | 219 | 4.61% | 726 | 15.28% | 4,751 |
| Snohomish | 130,970 | 47.72% | 134,777 | 49.11% | 8,706 | 3.17% | -3,807 | -1.39% | 274,453 |
| Spokane | 104,699 | 56.10% | 75,245 | 40.32% | 6,671 | 3.57% | 29,454 | 15.78% | 186,615 |
| Stevens | 12,248 | 65.62% | 5,672 | 30.39% | 745 | 3.99% | 6,576 | 35.23% | 18,665 |
| Thurston | 53,906 | 51.67% | 47,000 | 45.05% | 3,425 | 3.28% | 6,906 | 6.62% | 104,331 |
| Wahkiakum | 1,202 | 59.30% | 761 | 37.54% | 64 | 3.16% | 441 | 21.76% | 2,027 |
| Walla Walla | 13,370 | 63.99% | 6,934 | 33.18% | 591 | 2.83% | 6,436 | 30.80% | 20,895 |
| Whatcom | 39,338 | 48.11% | 39,578 | 48.41% | 2,847 | 3.48% | -240 | -0.29% | 81,763 |
| Whitman | 9,043 | 55.53% | 6,634 | 40.73% | 609 | 3.74% | 2,409 | 14.79% | 16,286 |
| Yakima | 41,280 | 60.25% | 24,323 | 35.50% | 2,906 | 4.24% | 16,957 | 24.75% | 68,509 |
| Totals | 1,309,441 | 49.96% | 1,223,207 | 46.67% | 88,171 | 3.36% | 86,234 | 3.29% | 2,620,819 |
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
- Snohomish (largest city: Everett)
- Whatcom (largest city: Bellingham)
References
- ^ "Election 2004: Sutherland is re-elected as lands commissioner".
- ^ None (September 8, 2004). "Reed asks voters to participate in state primaries". Columbia Basin Herald. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
- ^ "Timber at center of lands commissioner race". HeraldNet.com. October 18, 2004. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
- ^ a b c Reed, Sam (September 14, 2004). "Elections Search Results September 2004 Primary Commissioner of Public Lands". Secretary of State of Washington. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
- ^ "Cooper running for public lands post".
- ^ "Voters' Pamphlet" (PDF). Secretary of State of Washington. November 2, 2004.
- ^ Editorial Board, The Seattle Times (October 31, 2004). "The Seattle Times endorses ..." The Seattle Times. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
- ^ a b Reed, Sam (November 2, 2004). "Elections Search Results November 2004 General Commissioner of Public Lands". Secretary of State of Washington. Retrieved January 13, 2026.