News

OLYMPIA — This afternoon, Secretary of State Steve Hobbs sent a letter formally asking what steps the United States Postal Service will take to prevent out-of-service mail collection boxes from being left in public spaces during Washington elections.

Disused collection boxes in public spaces in King and Pierce counties have been found to contain at least 124 voted ballots from the Nov. 7, 2023, General Election. Because the ballots were found days after Election Day, they were delivered late to the appropriate county elections offices. Under the provisions of state law… Read more

OLYMPIA — Envelopes received by elections offices in King, Pierce, Skagit, and Spokane counties were found Wednesday to contain unknown powdery substances. Each impacted county’s elections workers evacuated their offices, and elections leaders have taken precautions to keep employees and office visitors safe.

Local, state, and federal authorities are investigating the incidents, which occurred while workers were processing ballots from the Nov. 7 General Election. Because investigations are ongoing, the Office of the Secretary of State can provide no further information… Read more

OLYMPIA — County elections statewide have distributed ballots for the state’s 4.8 million registered voters to participate in the 2023 General Election.

Ballots must be returned to a county drop box or voting center by 8 p.m. Nov. 7, or postmarked by Nov. 7 if mailed in, to be accepted. All 39 counties have races on the ballot in this election, with 3,095 offices up for election and 128 local measures to be decided.

Secretary of State Steve Hobbs encourages all voters to use the state’s comprehensive system of trustworthy resources to participate in this… Read more

OLYMPIA — Secretary of State Steve Hobbs encourages participation in the White Cane Day Walk 2023 in Seattle on Saturday, Oct. 14, to celebrate people who are blind and visually impaired.

The White Cane Day Walk will begin at the Pike Place Market Information Center, 97 Pike Street, at 10 a.m. and end with a reception and vendor area at the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library (WTBBL), 2021 9th Avenue. WTBBL, a program of the Office of the Secretary of State, provides access to information and reading materials for people who are unable to read standard print.… Read more

OLYMPIA — Young Washingtonians across the state are invited to participate in the 2023 Student Mock Election presented by the Office of the Secretary of State.

The Student Mock Election is a non-partisan, educational event that teaches children to be informed voters. All K-12 students in Washington state are welcome to participate by casting votes on races and measures. In recognition of National Voter Education Week the first week of October, Secretary of State Steve Hobbs is calling on students and teachers across Washington… Read more

OLYMPIA — Due to a dramatic decline in operating funds derived from real-estate transactions, the Washington State Library will be closed to in-person visits on Mondays, effective October 2nd. The State Library will remain open to the public Tuesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 6880 Capitol Boulevard East in Tumwater.

The reduction in hours is necessary because the State Library is unable to fill vacant staff positions due to a historic revenue shortfall. Under a structure described in RCW 43.07.128, State Library operations are funded through fees on… Read more

OLYMPIA — The Office of the Secretary of State, which oversees the Washington State Library and the Washington State Archives, announces that 33 local libraries and government agencies will share $600,000 in grants under state programs to improve local resources.

The Library’s Washington Digital Heritage grant awards are in their 16th year of funding projects that promote the creation and sharing of content documenting state history. This year’s record award of more than $150,000 will benefit 13 recipients, from small rural to large academic libraries, for projects… Read more

OLYMPIA — The Office of Secretary of State, in partnership with the Washington Voting Rights Restoration Coalition, is helping celebrate the restoration of voting rights for Washingtonians with past felony convictions.

The “Free the Vote” murals painted in Spokane, Yakima, and Tacoma raise public awareness of the restoration of voting rights for people convicted of felonies who are not serving a sentence of total confinement. House Bill 1078, which passed in 2021,… Read more

OLYMPIA — For National Voter Registration Day, the Office of the Secretary of State will host a voter registration station at Gonzaga University Tuesday, Sept. 19, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Students will be able to sign up as new voters or update their registrations at the registration table in the rotunda of the John J. Hemmingson Center, 702 East Desmet Avenue, Spokane.

Secretary of State Steve Hobbs will spend Tuesday on the Gonzaga campus and at Spokane Falls Community College to meet with classes and student leadership and discuss the importance of civic participation… Read more

OLYMPIA — In honor of U.S. Constitution Week, Secretary of State Steve Hobbs will host a public showing of the original 1889 Washington Constitution Thursday, September 14th, in the Legislative Building in Olympia.

The constitution is safeguarded and preserved by the Washington State Archives, a division of the Office of Secretary of State, which is presenting Thursday’s display. That afternoon, visitors to the Office of the Secretary of State will be able to view the 1889 document in a secure display case from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m.

State Archives experts… Read more