OLYMPIA — Candidate Filing Week is May 17-21, and the Office of the Secretary of State is joining county election offices across Washington to accept applications for public office.
People interested in running for a local or county office may file with the county elections office in which the position resides. For filing instructions, candidates should contact their respective county elections office.
There are more than 3,200 county offices up for election this year, including over 100 mayor and 500 fire district positions, and many others in city and county councils, and port, hospital, cemetery, airport, water, sewer, and park and recreation districts.
Among the eight Court of Appeals and Superior Court judge races, two require prospective candidates to file with the Office of the Secretary of State (Court of Appeals, Division 2, District 3; and Ferry, Pend Oreille, Stevens Superior Court). Applicants are encouraged to file online beginning 9 a.m. Monday, May 17, until 4 p.m. Friday, May 21. Filing fees, if applicable, must be submitted at the time of filing.
Applicants may also download a Declaration of Candidacy form and mail it to Candidate Filing, Office of the Secretary of State, P.O. Box 40229, Olympia, WA, 98504-0229, or drop it off in person at the Washington State Elections Office (520 Union Ave. SE, Olympia, WA, 98501) during normal business hours. Filings and fees delivered by mail or in person must be received by 5 p.m. May 21.
Candidates who cannot file online and who need in-person services should contact their county or state elections office to learn more about available services and business hours.
The Secretary of State’s Elections website offers several resources for people considering a run for public office. These include a downloadable candidate filing guide, answers to frequently asked questions, and much more on the For Candidates & Campaigns page.
“People who run for public office and serve as an elected official have an opportunity to help shape the future of our state, counties, and communities,” said Secretary of State Kim Wyman. “Most of these offices up for election this year are local and have the greatest impact on people’s daily lives.”
Washington’s Office of the Secretary of State oversees a number of areas within state government, including managing state elections, registering corporations and charities, and governing the use of the state flag and state seal. The office also manages the State Archives and the State Library, documents extraordinary stories in Washington’s history through Legacy Washington, oversees the Combined Fund Drive for charitable giving by state employees, and administers the state’s Address Confidentiality Program to help protect survivors of crime.