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Today’s newsletter is 1,026 words — a 4-minute read.

Washington's Legislature is poised to shift further left after last week's election, with Democrats on track to flip nine Republican-held seats and left-leaning candidates leading in several races against fellow Democrats.

Why it matters: The election could give progressives more influence over decisions on issues such as taxes, housing and education funding, even though Democrats already control both legislative chambers.

By the numbers: Democrats led in nine contests for Republican-held state House seats as of yesterday, according to the latest unofficial results from the Washington secretary of state's office.

• If those results hold, Democrats would control 68 of the state House's 98 seats — their largest share of the chamber since 1939.
• Democrats could also pick up a state Senate seat in the 35th Legislative District, where Democrat Carolina Mejia led Republican incumbent Drew MacEwen by 88 votes as of yesterday.
• If Mejia wins, that would put the state Senate at 31 Democratic members and 18 Republicans. The last time Democrats had more than 30 seats was in 2010.

Zoom in: The shift to the left isn't just about Democrats defeating Republicans.

• State Reps. Amy Walen (D-Kirkland) and Melanie Morgan (D-Parkland), who both voted against Washington's new income tax on millionaires, were trailing Democratic challengers who support the tax.
• In an intraparty state Senate race, Rep. Cindy Ryu (D-Shoreline) was leading in the 32nd Legislative District, after challenging incumbent Jesse Salomon (D-Shoreline) from the left.
• Longtime state Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos (D-Seattle), who chairs the House education committee, was about 30 percentage points behind Kelabe Tewolde, who challenged her from the left on issues including rent stabilization.

What they're saying: "We are seeing a Legislature that is certainly more progressive than the last one," Crystal Fincher, a political consultant who works with Democrats, told Axios.

• Fincher said voters are increasingly impatient with politicians who don't appear to be addressing affordability, education funding and other problems affecting their daily lives.

The other side: Republican political consultant Chad Minnick said the GOP's inability to provide stronger competition in Washington is allowing the more liberal wing of the Democratic Party to gain power.

• Minnick said President Trump's actions have hurt Republicans in Washington, while the state GOP has failed to reengage former Republican voters who have stopped turning out for elections.
• He noted that the picture in Washington state was quite different a decade ago, when Republicans had a slim majority in the state Senate and were within two seats of a majority in the state House.

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Boeing plans to cut about 5% of its commercial airplane workforce as it slows plans to increase production, according to multiple media reports.

Why it matters: The reductions could affect workers at one of the Puget Sound region's largest employers.

Driving the news: Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Stephanie Pope told employees yesterday that the company needs to slow production increases to give its factories and suppliers more time to stabilize, the Seattle Times reports.

• The reductions will come through layoffs and attrition.
• Boeing's commercial airplane division employed about 50,500 people at the end of 2025, meaning a 5% reduction would translate to roughly 2,500 positions if staffing levels have remained similar, per the Times.

Zoom in: Boeing said in its third-quarter earnings call that it expects to miss its 2026 target of 500 deliveries of the 737 MAX.

What they're saying: IAM District 751, which represents local Boeing machinists, confirmed to Axios that the union was notified shortly before the news was shared with its members.

• The union does not yet know how many workers will be affected or which employees face cuts, spokesperson Deirdre Kaniewski told Axios.

What's next: Affected Boeing employees will be notified in December, per the Seattle Times.

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👀 Mayor Wilson plans to announce a decision about the city's police surveillance camera network today, after receiving an independent privacy audit that identified potential benefits and gaps in the city's policies. (KOMO)

🗳️ Washington voters have rejected Initiative 001, which sought to expand what schools must tell parents about their children's counseling and medical care.

• The AP declared yesterday that I-001 had failed after seven days of ballot counting. (Axios)

⚖️ The Seattle school board voted last night to authorize the district to challenge Initiative 638 in court. Washington voters approved I-638, which bans trans girls from competing in girls' school sports, in last week's election. (KING 5)

Seattle's work pulling invasive plants, planting native species and recruiting neighbors to care for public lands has earned some international love.

Driving the news: Green Seattle Partnership was recently named a World Restoration Flagship by the UN for combining green space restoration with community involvement across the city.

Why it matters: The United Nations award acknowledges that cities — and not just wilderness areas — have a role to play in restoring damaged ecosystems, per Seattle Parks and Recreation.

By the numbers: The partnership has planted about 1.5 million native plants, logged 1.5 million volunteer hours and restored more than 2,000 acres of public land over two decades, according to the UN.

Zoom out: Seattle joined the UN's Generation Restoration initiative in 2023 and is now among the first three cities to receive the restoration award, per the city.

Get involved: Seattle Forest Week runs through Sunday with planting and restoration events across the city. No experience necessary.

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Melissa here. I snapped this photo in the Central District on Saturday, shortly before a bout of stormy weather arrived.

• Some of these leaves now form a thick, colorful blanket over the pavement.
• My kids had a blast kicking fallen leaves on our Sunday walk — though I know I'll have to break out the rake soon.

🙈 Melissa is avoiding yard work.

☔️ Clarridge is trying to stay dry.

This newsletter was edited by Geoff Ziezulewicz.