News

OLYMPIA – Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs is warning Washington business and non-profit owners of fraudulent communications that purports to be official notice from the Office of the Secretary of State’s (OSOS) Corporations and Charities Division or other state office.   

The fraudulent communications towards business owners have focused on initial registration, business verification, annual filings, and claims of delinquency. In most instances, money has been solicited that far exceed… Read more

OLYMPIA — The Productivity Board will meet from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, in Room 207 of the Washington State Library at 6880 Capitol Blvd SE, Tumwater, WA  98501.

The Productivity Board encourages all state employees to help save taxpayers' money by offering up to $10,000 for a successful employee proposal to increase government efficiency. First created by the Legislature in 1982, the Productivity Board saved the state millions of dollars before it was shut down in 2011 due to budget constraints.

In accordance with the … Read more

OLYMPIA – County canvassing boards across Washington state certified county-level results for the 2024 General Election Tuesday, Nov. 26. This milestone follows the 21-day post-election period in which counties conduct mandatory audits and verify returns.

More than 3.9 million, or 78.9% of voters, participated in the 2024 General Election statewide, which included federal, state, and local races and measures.

Counties supported increased in-person voter services leading up to and on Election Day, Nov. 5. At voting centers statewide, county election workers… Read more

OLYMPIA – The Office of the Secretary of State’s elections division conducted its first statewide random ballot audit, also called a risk-limiting audit (RLA), November 19, in advance of county and state certifications.  

The statewide audit, chosen at random, examined the lieutenant governor contest. Outcomes of the audit were consistent with results from the voting system record. 

Washington counties conduct post-election audits after every election. RLAs are another efficient and effective form of audit utilized nationally… Read more

Washington officially reached the 5 million registered voter milestone Monday, November 4.

The Office of the Secretary of State is dedicated to ensuring that all 5 million registered voters can participate in safe, accessible, and secure elections.

“Elections are an important opportunity for all Washington voters to shape the futures of our communities,” Assistant Secretary of State Kevin McMahan said. “The Office of the Secretary of State encourages all registered voters to participate and vote on the candidates and statewide initiatives on the ballot… Read more

As Washington’s 2024 General Election draws near, more than 1,980,509 voters have already returned their ballots, and state and county election officials are busy preparing for the vote count. Here’s a look at what Washington voters and the public can expect on election night and in the days following as ballots are processed and results are certified.

Election Day Reminders

In-person registration is available at county elections offices and voting centers until 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 5, although online and mailed registrations or updates were due by Oct. 28.

… Read more

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