On November 4, 1924, Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933) and Republicans sweep the Washington general election. Three initiatives -- to require children to attend public school, to raise taxes, and to expand public utilities -- fail.
Coolidge ran against Democrat John W. Davis (1873-1955) and Progressive Robert M. LaFollette (1855-1925). The Progressives entered the race because of the similar conservative views of both the Republican and Democratic candidates. The majority of Washington voters went for Coolidge, but the Progressives logged a substantial showing. Four of the five representatives sent to Congress were Republican. Republican lumberman and perennial candidate from Everett, Roland Hartley (1864-1952), won the governor's office.
Initiative 49 would have required all children between the ages of 7 and 16 to attend public school. Many religious groups opposed it and it was defeated. Initiative 50 would have set a $40 million tax limit and it failed. The initiative to allow cities to purchase, sell, and dispose of electric current inside and outside their corporate boundaries also failed. In later elections, the public power and tax increase proposals were approved.
The vote counts for presidential electors were approximately as follows:
- Republican - 218,000
- Democrat - 42,000
- Progressive - 150,000
- American - 6,000
- Socialist Labor - 950
- Workers Party of America - 750
