OLYMPIA — The Washington Office of the Secretary of State issued the following response to concerns of potential illegal activity to influence voters in the 42nd Legislative District. Concerns emerged after a candidate running in the district posted a photo on Facebook of a ballot wrapped between a campaign mail piece.
“The Office of the Secretary of State takes allegations of illegal electioneering or misconduct seriously, which is why we have requested the United States Postal Inspection Service, the United States Postal Service, and the Department of Homeland Security to investigate. Until those federal investigations have concluded and we have more information, we do not want to speculate further on this matter.”
Washington’s Office of the Secretary of State oversees a number of areas within state government, including managing state elections, registering corporations and charities, and governing the use of the state flag and state seal. The office also manages the State Archives and the State Library, documents extraordinary stories in Washington’s history through Legacy Washington, oversees the Combined Fund Drive for charitable giving by state employees, and administers the state’s Address Confidentiality Program to help protect survivors of crime.