News

OLYMPIA – As election officials continue to verify signatures, process ballots, and post updated vote totals through Nov. 28, Secretary of State Steve Hobbs encouraged voters to remain patient. Washington’s 21-day certification window prioritizes accuracy to ensure that every valid ballot from the Nov. 8 General Election will be counted.

With more than 2.4 million ballots accepted by Wednesday evening, statewide turnout reached 51.4%, with additional ballots still being processed. More than 10,500 Washington residents registered as new voters on Election Day, under the … Read more

OLYMPIA – Nearly 1.9 million registered voters in Washington state have already returned their ballots for the 2022 General Election. Going into the final day of voting, turnout is behind the pace set by the 2018 Presidential midterm election (approximately 39% vs. 48%).

The Office of the Secretary of State is offering voters some quick and simple tips to ensure they are able to submit their ballot on time this Election Day and that their votes are counted.

OLYMPIA – In advance of the Nov. 8 General Election, the Office of the Secretary of State has launched the “Vote with Confidence” awareness campaign to inform voters of election security measures and debunk election misinformation. This campaign includes both traditional advertising — which has begun appearing statewide in newspapers, on television, and on city buses — and community-based partnerships with organizations helping to get out the vote.

In a … Read more

OLYMPIA — National Voter Education Week is Oct. 3-7, and the Office of the Secretary of State is calling on students and teachers across Washington to participate in the 2022 Student Mock Election.

From now until the Nov. 8 General Election, the Student Mock Election is a nonpartisan educational initiative that teaches K-12 students how elections work and how to become informed voters. Students have the opportunity to vote on actual… Read more

RENTON — Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs and King County Director of Elections Julie Wise provided audiences insight into the layered security protocols that allow Washingtonians to vote with confidence this November.

The media event offered audiences the opportunity to learn more about how the state of Washington and its most populous county are… Read more

OLYMPIA — The Productivity Board will convene from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022 in the Columbia Room at the Legislative building.

This is the first convening of the Productivity Board after the state Legislature reinstated the Employee Involvement and Recognition Board during the 2022 Legislative Session.

The Productivity Board, established in 1982 during an economic downturn, empowered state employees to submit money-saving ideas and process changes to public service through the employee suggestion program (ESP) and the teamwork incentive program (TIP).… Read more

OLYMPIA — Washington State Library, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State, was awarded a $149,668 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

The grant will fund a pilot program by the State Library’s Institutional Library Services (ILS) and the Washington State Department of Corrections (DOC) to develop strategies and tools aimed at… Read more

“The Last Cuentista” and “Red Paint: The Ancestral Autobiography of a Coast Salish Punk” chosen for the National Center for the Book’s Great Reads from Great Places program

OLYMPIA — Washington Center for the Book has selected one youth book and one adult book by Washington authors to represent the state at the 2022 National Book Festival: “The Last Cuentista” by … Read more

OLYMPIA — Secretary of State Steve Hobbs has appointed Heather Hirotaka, a longtime public servant, as the next Washington State Archivist, effective July 5, 2022.

Hirotaka will oversee Washington State Archives, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State (OSOS) that collects and preserves the state’s historical records and makes them available to the public, including researchers, historians, educators, students, journalists, and government agencies. With branches in Bellevue, Bellingham, Cheney, Ellensburg, and Olympia, the State Archives offers local, dedicated research… Read more

OLYMPIA — Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs has announced this year’s Election Award winners.

The Secretary of State Election Awards recognize exemplary election workers and counties across the state that engage and educate voters, promote greater election transparency and accountability, and administer secure, accurate, and accessible elections for all Washingtonians.

State Elections Director Stuart Holmes presented the awards at this year’s Washington State Elections Conference in Spokane.

The awards and awardees include:

Outstanding Security:… Read more