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Henry M. Jackson elected to sixth term as U.S. Senator and Democrats regain majority in Washington State Legislature on November 2, 1982.

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On November 2, 1982, Democratic Henry M. "Scoop" Jackson (1912-1983) wins re-election to his sixth term as a U.S. Senator and Democrats regain the majority in the state legislature. Initiatives fail that would have established a deposit on beverage containers, established a ceiling on interest rates, and replaced food and business taxes with a corporate income tax.

Senator Jackson was opposed by Seattle City Attorney Doug Jewett who criticized Jackson for his support of nuclear weapons and power. Jackson stressed the creation of jobs and criticized the economic policies of the Republican administration of President Ronald Reagan (1911-2004).

Democrats captured the state legislature. The House of Representatives had slipped into Republican hands after the 1980 election and the balance of power shifted in the Senate when a senator changed parties. That Republican legislature was responsible for a redistricting plan that created the 8th Congressional District encompassing Mercer Island, Bellevue, and South King County. Republican Rod Chandler (b. 1942) easily won the seat over his Democratic challenger, Mercer Island Mayor Beth Bland (b. 1938).

State voters rejected Initiative 414 that would have imposed a deposit on all beverage containers. Initiative 414 would have set a ceiling on interest charged in retail sales, but was defeated. Initiative 435 would have established a corporate income tax and repealed the sales taxes on food and the business and occupation tax, but it failed as well.

Official returns were as follows:

U.S. Senator


• Henry M. Jackson (D) - 943,655
• Doug Jewett (R) - 332,273
• King Lysen (I) - 72,297

• Initiative 412, retail-sales interest ceiling:
  Yes - 452,710
  No - 880,135
  
  
• Initiative 414, Bottle bill:
  Yes - 400,156
  No - 965,951
  
  
• Initiative 435, retail interest ceiling:
  Yes - 453, 221
  No - 889,194

Sources:
Ross Anderson, "Demos' Victory Is Bittersweet: Legislature Changes Hands; Initiatives Defeated, The Seattle Times, November 3, 1982, p. A-1; Jane Cartwright and Ross Anderson, "Job Issue Called Genius in Jackson's Victory," Ibid., p. C-2; Susan Gilmore, "'No Deposit-no return' Is Voter Message on Bottle Bill," Ibid., p. C-2; Doug Underwood, "Democrats Win Control of the Legislature," Ibid., p. C-3; Dean Katz, "Chandler Going to Congress After Win," Ibid., p. C-3; Washington Secretary of State, "Abstract of Votes: 1982 General Election," Mimeograph (Olympia: State of Washington, 1982).

By David Wilma, August 21, 2003

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