The 2016 Washington Public Lands Commissioner election was held on November 8, 2016, to elect the Washington Public Lands Commissioner, concurrently with the 2016 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 Democratic Public Lands Commissioner Peter J. Goldmark retired. Democratic conservation attorney Hilary Franz defeated Republican Steve McLaughlin to succeed Goldmark.
Golmark was first elected in 2008, defeating then-incumbent public lands commissioner Doug Sutherland. He retired after serving two terms.
Washington is one of two states that holds a top-two primary, meaning that all candidates are listed on the same ballot regardless of party affiliation, and the top two move on to the general election.
Five Democrats, one Republican, and one Libertarian competed in the primary. Steve McLaughlin (R) and Hilary Franz (D) finished as the top two and advanced to the general election.
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
Franz won six of ten congressional districts.