Washington State’s active concealed pistol license count fell by more than 5,000 in August, and gun rights activists are trading theories about what’s driving the slide, according to TheGunMag editor Dave Workman.
Per the state Department of Licensing, August closed with 686,832 active CPLs. That’s a drop of 5,349 from the 692,181 reported at the end of July, according to figures cited by Workman.
The Migration Theory
The leading explanation among activists is straightforward: gun owners are leaving. Dan Mitchell, who runs Sporting Systems in Vancouver on the Columbia River across from Oregon, put it plainly in an email to TGM: “I suspect there is a net migration of gun owners.”
The frustrations pushing people out aren’t hard to find. Conservatives, gun owners among them, have been leaving the Evergreen State over the cost of living, including high gas prices tied to the Climate Change tax pushed through by former Gov. Jay Inslee. Democrats this year also passed a “millionaire” income tax without a single Republican vote, and that measure heads to the November ballot by citizen initiative.
The migration reportedly has its own online communities. A Facebook page called “Escape Washington State” caters to people who have left or want to. Former Seattle conservative talk radio host Kirby Wilbur left a few years ago and now sells real estate in Texas while encouraging other Washingtonians to follow suit, according to Workman.
Why the Renewals Aren’t Coming
Activist Jane Milhans, who spends significant time at the Capitol in Olympia fighting gun control bills, told TGM the decline could stem from “several factors.”
“I think the main reason (for the decline) is that person who left Washington State over the past 5 years and decided not to renew,” she said.
CPLs renew every five years, so anyone who has already packed up has no reason to renew. Milhans points to a new law taking effect May 1, 2027 that requires CPL applicants and renewers to complete a firearms course, a mandate that also applies to anyone seeking a permit-to-purchase. That law is certain to draw legal challenges at the state and federal levels.
The numbers have rebounded before, so the dip may be temporary.
Dropping mine when it expires. We moved and could keep it as non-resident but those can only be renewed by personal visit to downtown Seattle court house. Not interested in signing to have my health records reviewed by the state or the other draconian regulations.
“Per the state Department of Licensing, August closed with 686,832 active CPLs. That’s a drop of 5,349 from the 692,181 reported at the end of July, according to figures cited by Workman.”
Or… it could be that processing for renewal has been removed from the count like Washington state routinely does because it does not count these as active until renewed even though the old one has not yet expired.
The state is a democRat’s Nest.
Gun laws and taxes are having their desired effect of ridding the state of its gun owners, which will only increase if the bill for the protection of animals passes, as it appears as it will eliminate the slaughter of livestock, and of hunting and fishing. Hunters and fishermen will leave, and the price of meat will skyrocket since processed meat and fish will have to imported from other states.
On a similar note, California now requires that applicants for renewal of their CCWs to obtain a new livescan ($25-$75), an eight hour class, and an increase in the application fee by $10. (P.S. California CCWs are only good for two years.)
Funny choice of background image, given that all those rifles on the back wall are banned now in this terrible state. Washington is about as bad as califonica in terms of restriction at this point. We even have a permit to purchase scheme on the books. Starts up mid next year.
California, Washington, Illinois to name a few demonstrate clearly the definition of infringe.
I’m one who moved to TX 6 years ago and let my permit expire. It’s not perfect here…lots of blue voters migrating here for exploding job opportunities. Every large city is blue, but there is a counterbalancing calvary of conservatives coming too, fleeing blue states. These conservatives, IMO, are more motivated to vote than Texas natives. We’ve seen what blue can do.