Four days before the Nov. 5 presidential election, Democrats in Washington braved wet weather to vote Friday in the Tri-Cities.

The rally and rally, held at a quiet headquarters on George Washington Way in Richland, brought together U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell and attorney general candidate Nick Brown, who showed up to support Democrats voting in Southeast Washington were hard fought to support.

The 1 p.m. Tri-Cities stop fell between similar events in Spokane and Yakima that day.

Andy Miller, the Democrat who served as Benton County prosecutor for 36 years, delivered an admittedly trite line to a room full of candidates and organizers — one that he says is relevant to what's at stake .

“It's like, 'A broken clock is right twice a day.' It’s today: This is the most important election,” Miller said. “It’s important that we don’t write off the Tri-Cities, and that’s why it’s so nice to have Nick and Maria here.”

Between federal, state, legislative, judicial and local elections, Washington voters have many decisions to make next week.

They will elect the next President of the United States, either Democrat Kamala Harris or Republican Donald Trump. Cantwell is seeking a fifth term representing Washington in the U.S. Senate and has attracted a challenger in Republican Raul Garcia.

Washington's ten seats in the US House of Representatives are also up for re-election. In central Washington, Dan Newhouse, a Republican, has won a challenger from the right in Jerrod Sessler, a Trump-endorsed former NASCAR regional racer.

Voters will also select candidates for nine statewide executive offices – including their next governor, attorney general and state superintendent. They will also decide whether four mostly Republican-backed voter initiatives get the green light.

Democrats have majorities in both chambers of the Washington legislature, the House of Representatives and the Senate. Voters in swing legislative districts could determine whether progressives gain a supermajority to make constitutional changes such as enshrining abortion rights and lowering the voter threshold for passing school bonds.

Return statistics released Friday showed that about 79,000 of the more than 177,000 Tri-City voters had returned their ballot. That represents a voter turnout of about 45% between Benton and Franklin counties — lower than the statewide response rate of 47%.

So far, about 750 ballots have been challenged in the Tri-Cities, mostly because of a signature mismatch.

Maria Cantwell and Nick Brown demonstrate for the Tri-City Democrats

Highlighting the response to ballot box arson attacks in Vancouver and Portland this week, Cantwell said they had mobilized organizers in Southwest Washington to knock on the doors of affected voters.

“It’s an inspiration for here in the Tri-Cities. We have to stop voting,” Cantwell said.

She also spoke this week about a multi-jurisdictional raid against a “violent drug trafficking gang” that was distributing fentanyl through Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

“Nick will help us continue to do that as he moves on to serve as U.S. attorney in the attorney general’s office,” Cantwell said.

She also touched on groundbreaking research and energy development in the Tri-Cities, highlighting an announced $5 billion data center that will create new jobs and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's work researching the next generation of computer chips.

“We came here because we created an infrastructure bill – the biggest investment in our lives. We implemented the IRA (Inflation Reduction Act) bill, which is also an investment in clean energy technology,” she said.

“And don’t listen to the other side over there. Mr. Trump basically said we don't need this CHIPS and Science Act. I don't know what he's talking about because we have to win the race for the best semiconductors in the world. The United States must win this race,” Cantwell added.

Speaking to the Herald, Brown said he doesn't mind gathering in his opponent's backyard. Pete Serrano, his Republican opponent, is mayor of Pasco.

He said he plans to be a “lawyer for all” in Washington state, highlighting his experience as a former U.S. attorney for Western Washington. Brown worked on judicial appointments as general counsel to Gov. Jay Inslee, including the appointment of Sal Mendoza Jr. to the Benton and Franklin Superior Court.

“Andy joked about it, but it's not really a joke: Pete doesn't win cases. And I think that when voters hire an attorney, they should consider whether that person is qualified, experienced and willing to do the job — and I think we're certainly willing to do that,” the former “Survivor” said. “Candidate.

The attorney general serves as Washington's top law enforcement official, prosecuting cases in the public interest, proposing bills to the Legislature, advising governing bodies on legal matters, and issuing opinions.

Is WA-16 a sleeper?

Democrats say Republicans shouldn't be too confident about their support in Washington's 16th Legislative District.

Despite a 30-point loss in the August primary, candidates running for the seats say redistricting and a presidential election offer them a renewed opportunity to introduce themselves to voters.

The district extends from Hanford Reach National Monument to Walla Walla and includes the communities of Benton City, Richland, parts of West Richland, North Pasco, Connell and Burbank.

Kari Isaacson is a retired nonprofit and charity leader who is challenging state Sen. Perry Dozier, a Republican and first-time lawmaker.

“Half the district is new for everyone in the 16th district, including our incumbents. And the incumbents are very complacent, they haven't campaigned much and they haven't been able to get anything done in the Legislature – and they're very good at coming back and saying, “(The Democrats) won't let us pass.” anything.' Well, that’s not good enough,” she said.

Perry, who serves as co-leader of the Senate Republican Caucus, sponsored and passed groundbreaking legislation governing groundwater allocation agreements and also secured $42 million in the 2023 capital budget for county projects.

Isaacson and her colleagues running for the district's House of Representatives seats – Linda Gunshefski and Craig Woodard – all from Walla Walla, say they are committed to dinner table issues such as access to child and health care, public education funding, housing and access to vocational training.

Gunshefski, an eye surgeon and small business owner, says Rep. Mark Klicker is “out of touch” on the issues of housing, mental health and reproductive rights. Her suggestion is that Southeast Washington should get “a doctor in the House.”

“If elected, I will be the only doctor in the House,” she said. “I think science and medicine are important and much-needed perspectives to be represented in the House of Representatives – especially here in the Tri-Cities where there is so much science and so much technology.”

Klicker, ranking member on the House Housing Committee, was elected in 2020 and re-elected in 2022. He is seeking a third term.

Gunshefski says many lifelong Republicans are reconsidering their allegiance to the party, especially in recent years with the rise of Trump.

Woodard, a retired union electrician, is challenging Rep. Skyler Rude, first elected in 2018, who is seeking his fourth term.

Woodard argues that working-class people – and their wages – have been “left behind” in Washington state. Lawmakers must invest in affordable workforce training and training for working professionals and support apprenticeship programs. Access to rural health care also remains a problem in Central Washington.

“I think there are a lot of people here who are just tired of the status quo and feel like they need more choice, but they're not getting it,” he said.