News

OLYMPIA – More than 3 million registered voters in Washington state have already returned their ballots for the 2020 General Election. Turnout is well ahead of the pace set at this point in 2016.

“With such high participation already this election, we know voters are eager to learn the results,” said Lori Augino, elections director, Office of the Secretary of State. “Please be patient; results reporting is not instantaneous and there are processes in place to ensure the results are displayed accurately.”

Ballots are not tabulated by counties until after the voting period… Read more

OLYMPIA — With the 2020 General Election five days away, the Office of the Secretary of State is reminding voters that VoteWA.gov, the state’s voter registration and information portal, is the official source to check the status of their ballots.

Over the past few days an unofficial website, votewashington.info, has been referred to on social media platforms as a source for voters to find information about whether their ballot has been rejected. The Office of the Secretary of State issued… Read more

OLYMPIA — With seven days to go until the Nov. 3 General Election, the Office of the Secretary of State is reminding voters to return their ballots as soon as possible.

Voters are encouraged to return their ballots by placing them in any of the nearly 500 ballot drop boxes statewide. Drop-box locations can be found by logging in to VoteWA.gov, as well as on the Secretary of State’s Office… Read more

Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman issued the following statement after federal intelligence officials held a briefing announcing attempts from foreign actors to interfere in the upcoming Nov. 3 general election.

“Foreign adversaries are working around the clock to interfere in U.S. elections and undermine confidence in the electoral process. Despite the disinformation circulating from bad actors, know there has been no indication of compromise at the Office of the Secretary of State or with our elections system.

“We continually work with state and federal security… Read more

OLYMPIA – People who want to register to vote and participate in the Nov. 3 General Election have until Monday, Oct. 26, to register online or by U.S. mail.

Online registration is available at VoteWA.gov, the state’s online voter portal. All that is required is a Washington state driver’s license or I.D. On VoteWA.gov, people can also change or update their registration, view a personalized voters’ guide (with information on candidates and measures specific to where they live), locate ballot drop boxes, voting centers, and elections offices, and… Read more

OLYMPIA – Registered voters in Washington state will soon receive their ballots for the General Election, Tuesday, Nov. 3. Ballots must be sent to registered voters no later than Friday, Oct. 16.

Voters have until 8 p.m. Nov. 3 to place their marked ballots in one of over 500 drop boxes statewide. Drop-box locations can be found at VoteWA.gov, Washington’s online voter portal.

People who choose to return their ballots by U.S. mail can use the provided postage-paid envelope. The U.S. Postal Service recommends that ballots should be returned by… Read more

OLYMPIA – The Office of the Secretary of State’s 2020 Student Mock Election is open from now until Nov. 3.

The Student Mock Election is a nonpartisan educational initiative that teaches K-12 students how elections work and how to become informed voters. Students read candidate statements and arguments for and against races, measures, and issues that may be relevant to their daily lives.

Ballots, along with corresponding tabulation… Read more

OLYMPIA — National Voter Education Week is Oct. 5-9, and the Office of the Secretary of State is encouraging people to start getting ready for the Nov. 3 General Election.

Even though ballots won’t be mailed until Oct. 16 at the latest, voters can start preparing for the election now. From listingall the critical dates and deadlines to learning about the issues, measures, and candidates, voters have access to a wealth of information on the Secretary of State’s elections web page.

“Whether people are registering to vote for the first time… Read more

The Office of the Secretary of State released the following statement regarding a phishing campaign affecting public and private organizations across the country.

"The Office of the Secretary of State is aware of an active cyber threat facing government entities throughout the country. Though we have no reason at this time to believe this is targeted at elections, we are working with our federal partners and have notified local elections officials. "Out of an abundance of caution, the Office of the Secretary of State's Security Operations Center is taking proactive steps to… Read more

OLYMPIA —Secretary of State Kim Wyman filed legal action yesterday asking Thurston County Superior Court to declare she is not required to accept electronic signatures on initiative petitions. The filing was made as a result of initiative sponsors asserting the Secretary of State is required to count electronic signatures when verifying and canvassing signatures on initiative petitions.

Two types of initiatives may be filed in Washington state: initiatives to the People, which are submitted for a direct vote of the people; and initiatives to the Legislature, which are submitted to… Read more