News

This morning, the Office of the Secretary of State received reports of a suspected incendiary device placed in a drop box in Vancouver, WA. Law enforcement agencies, including FBI and the Vancouver Police Department, promptly responded to the scene.

While an investigation is ongoing, we believe some ballots were damaged. We are confident the Clark County Auditor’s Office will work diligently to ensure that any impacted voters receive replacement ballots in time to participate in the 2024 general election.

“We take the safety of our election workers… Read more

OLYMPIA — Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs and the Washington State Library, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State, are excited to announce the launch of its project, “Guy Reed Ramsey’s Postmarked Washington.” The web-based project maps and catalogues the post offices of the state and is available for the public to view, enjoy, and comment on now. The Washington State Library plans to add more information on WA post offices to the map in the future to present more of Guy Reed Ramsey’s work detailing these… Read more

OLYMPIA — Washington’s county elections offices will mail ballots and open official ballot drop boxes by Friday for the more than 4.9 million registered voters across Washington to participate in the November 5 General Election.  

Voters have the opportunity to weigh in on statewide initiative measures, presidential candidates, and state executive offices such as Governor and Attorney General. Additionally, voters will select candidates for state legislative and judicial offices, while many communities will have local races such as county commissioner or PUD… Read more

OLYMPIA – Secretary of State Steve Hobbs encourages participation in the White Cane Day Walk 2024 in Seattle on Sunday, October 13, to celebrate people who are blind and visually impaired.

The White Cane Day Walk will begin at 12 p.m. at the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library (WTBBL), 2021 9th Avenue, and will follow a route to Westlake Park, 4th Ave. and Pine, and will return WTBBL.

The White Cane Day walk is presented by several blindness organizations and service providers including the National Federation of the Blind of Washington,… Read more

OLYMPIA — In an effort to empower Washington residents and ensure informed participation in the upcoming general election, the Office of the Secretary of State is participating in National Voter Education Week (NVEW) from Oct. 7-11. The weeklong initiative focuses on equipping voters with the knowledge and resources needed to confidently vote this November. Voters in WA State can visit  VoteWA.gov to check the status of their registration, track their ballot, and view their voter’s guide.

National Voter Education Week is a… Read more

OLYMPIA — Young Washingtonians across the state are invited to participate in the 2024 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.

“I’m inviting educators throughout the state to use the Student Mock Election and help encourage lifelong participation in our democracy,” Secretary Hobbs said. “This opportunity is great preparation for… Read more

OLYMPIA – Secretary of State Steve Hobbs opened a secure portal for all Washington residents, public employees, and state retirees to donate to Hurricane Helene relief efforts.

The Disaster Relief Center, a special function of the Secretary of State’s Combined Fund Drive, provides links for one-time donations to verified and registered crisis-relief charities during periods of natural or humanitarian disasters that exceed a region’s capacity to provide help.

Hurricane Helene left catastrophic… Read more

OLYMPIA — Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs issued the following statement on the passing of Dan Evans, former Governor and U.S. Senator from Washington State. 

Governor Dan Evans was a man of principle. Throughout his career in Washington state and Washington D.C., he served his constituents driven by a dedication to public service. Gov. Evans’ legacy engenders respect across generations and party affiliations. Gov. Evans’ service represents a place and era when values were more important than partisanship, and a leader’s scruples came before ambition. 

A… Read more

OLYMPIA — The Office of the Secretary of State invites Washingtonians to join the nationwide celebration of National Voter Registration Day (NVRD) on September 17.

NVRD is dedicated to getting every eligible American registered to vote ahead of the various state deadlines. As the nation’s largest nonpartisan civic holiday, organizations ranging from Fortune 500 companies to local food banks and public libraries will join forces for a one-day, nationwide democracy blitz to create broad awareness of voter registration opportunities through in-person events, virtual events,… Read more

OLYMPIA — The Office of the Secretary of State is accepting nominations for Washington’s Medals of Merit and Valor through the September 20 deadline.

The Medal of Merit recognizes people who perform outstanding services for Washington and its residents. The Medal of Valor is awarded to anyone who has saved, or attempted to save, the life of another at the risk of their own safety and is not acting in the course of duty as a Washington police officer, firefighter, or other government-employed first responder.

“There is still time to nominate the hero in… Read more