News

OLYMPIA — The Office of the Secretary of State certified the results of the 2025 August Primary, Wednesday, Aug. 20.   

According to vote totals certified by Deputy Secretary of State Randy Bolerjack, more than 1.2 million voters participated in the primary, and approximately 28.6% turnout of the eligible 4.4 million voters. Only two counties did not have any races or measures in the primary.  

OLYMPIA – Secretary of State Steve Hobbs made the following statement following President Trump’s announcement on August 18 that he would sign an executive order to eliminate vote by mail and voting machines ahead of the 2026 midterms: 

“The president’s announcement should be rejected for what it is: federal interference in state authority and a direct threat to every eligible American’s right to cast a ballot and have it counted. 

The first cohort of incarcerated persons at the Washington Correction Center in Shelton were honored as graduates, Wednesday, August 13, from a Washington Secretary of State pilot program to create pathways for them to reenter their communities as positive participants in public life. 

Approximately 87.4% of Washington’s 5 million registered voters will be eligible to vote in the August primary. Ballots cover 239 races and 59 local measures across the state.  

Love, Equally: The Journey to Marriage Equality was created in 2023 by Legacy Washington, a program within the Washington State Archives and Office of the Secretary of State, to recognize the people, history, and stories who stood at the forefront of LGBTQ civil rights in Washington state.

The Corporations and Charities Division of the Office of the Secretary of State is moving to a new location to better serve its customers. 

Both the research library in Tumwater, Washington, and the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library (WTBBL) in Seattle will be closed to the public beginning on July 1 and continue to be closed until further notice.

The Productivity Board, a state employee incentive program of the Office of the Secretary of State, voted unanimously to recognize three state employees with cash awards for their ideas to reduce costs or generate revenue for the state.   

Since its inception in 2005, the Local Records Grant Program has provided more than $4.5 million to hundreds of government entities throughout the state. This year, towns, cities, counties, school districts, health departments, prosecutor’s offices, and library districts will share in $506,112.

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the first arrival of Southeast Asian refugees in Washington, a new book from Legacy Washington, “New Land: Southeast Asian Refugees Finding Home in Washington,” recounts the early days of the humanitarian effort and the stories from those who continue to be a part of Washington’s legacy.