As of September 14, 2026 the governor had approved 10 pardons and no commutations, with 32 people awaiting decisions, the Washington State Standard reported with InvestigateWest. Since January 2025 the clemency board recommended early release for 15 of 23 people given commutation hearings.
Washington abolished parole for most prisoners in 1984, so clemency is one of few early-release routes. A 2025 law signed by Ferguson was meant to widen access to clemency and the board. The article does not discuss cannabis.
Why it matters: Anyone in Washington still serving a cannabis sentence would face the same narrow clemency route, but this article is about clemency generally.
Source: Washington State Standard (InvestigateWest reporting), 2026-10-03. Forgotten Prisoner's account is based on this reporting.