US District Judge John Coughenour has ruled that the state's top-two primary---in which the two candidates with the most votes move forward to the general election, regardless of political party---is constitutional. The top-two primary system bars political parties from officially nominating individual candidates, although the parties can still endorse candidates.

In statements, Washington State secretary of state Sam Reed and attorney general Rob McKenna called the ruling a major victory for Washington State voters.

“The top-two system says every single voter is important in winnowing the field of candidates.  Judge Coughenour’s wise ruling tells us that the primary belongs to the voters and not solely the parties," Reed said.

The "Top Two" plan replaced the state's previous "blanket primary," which allowed voters to split their tickets between parties.