The Washington State House District 10 election is contested in 2026, with Democratic incumbents Clyde Shavers and Dave Paul running. Voters will decide the race in the Nov. 3 general election.
Both candidates already hold office and share the same party affiliation. That makes incumbency and the candidates’ individual records especially relevant to how voters may evaluate the race, rather than relying only on the party designation printed with each name.
What is being contested
The election concerns representation for District 10 in the Washington State House. It is a legislative contest within one state House district, not a statewide race.
The election is classified as contested because more than one candidate is running in the District 10 contest. The current candidate field consists of two Democrats, and both are incumbents. A contested election gives voters a choice among candidates rather than presenting an office with only one person running.
The general election will take place Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. That is the date District 10 voters will make their choice in the State House race. The party label identifies each candidate’s affiliation, but it does not by itself explain any differences between the candidates or how each would approach the work of the Legislature.
Clyde Shavers
Clyde Shavers is a Democratic candidate and an incumbent in the District 10 State House election. His incumbent status means he enters the 2026 contest already serving in elected office, giving voters an existing officeholder to consider when making their general-election decision.
Shavers is one of two Democratic incumbents in the listed District 10 field. His candidacy makes the election contested and places his name before voters seeking to decide who should represent the district in the state House after the 2026 election.
Dave Paul
Dave Paul is a Democratic candidate and an incumbent in the District 10 State House election. His incumbent status means he enters the 2026 contest already serving in elected office, giving voters an existing officeholder to consider when making their general-election decision.
Paul is one of two Democratic incumbents in the listed District 10 field. His candidacy makes the election contested and places his name before voters seeking to decide who should represent the district in the state House after the 2026 election.
What voters should watch
The central feature of the race is that both listed candidates are incumbents from the same party. Because the candidates share a Democratic affiliation, voters will need to assess them as individuals rather than treat the contest as a choice between different party labels.
The candidate field is another point to follow as the election approaches. The current contest includes Shavers and Paul, and the general election is scheduled for Nov. 3, 2026. Ballot details will determine exactly how District 10 voters encounter the State House choices in the election.
Voters can also watch for the candidates to explain their priorities, draw distinctions and make their cases for serving District 10. Those details would give voters more ways to compare the two incumbents ahead of the general election.
