News

OLYMPIA — The Office of the Secretary of State, which oversees the Washington State Library and the Washington State Archives, announces that 33 local libraries and government agencies will share $600,000 in grants under state programs to improve local resources.

The Library’s Washington Digital Heritage grant awards are in their 16th year of funding projects that promote the creation and sharing of content documenting state history. This year’s record award of more than $150,000 will benefit 13 recipients, from small rural to large academic libraries, for projects… Read more

OLYMPIA — The Office of Secretary of State, in partnership with the Washington Voting Rights Restoration Coalition, is helping celebrate the restoration of voting rights for Washingtonians with past felony convictions.

The “Free the Vote” murals painted in Spokane, Yakima, and Tacoma raise public awareness of the restoration of voting rights for people convicted of felonies who are not serving a sentence of total confinement. House Bill 1078, which passed in 2021,… Read more

OLYMPIA — For National Voter Registration Day, the Office of the Secretary of State will host a voter registration station at Gonzaga University Tuesday, Sept. 19, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Students will be able to sign up as new voters or update their registrations at the registration table in the rotunda of the John J. Hemmingson Center, 702 East Desmet Avenue, Spokane.

Secretary of State Steve Hobbs will spend Tuesday on the Gonzaga campus and at Spokane Falls Community College to meet with classes and student leadership and discuss the importance of civic participation… Read more

OLYMPIA — In honor of U.S. Constitution Week, Secretary of State Steve Hobbs will host a public showing of the original 1889 Washington Constitution Thursday, September 14th, in the Legislative Building in Olympia.

The constitution is safeguarded and preserved by the Washington State Archives, a division of the Office of Secretary of State, which is presenting Thursday’s display. That afternoon, visitors to the Office of the Secretary of State will be able to view the 1889 document in a secure display case from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m.

State Archives experts… Read more

OLYMPIA — As required by state law, the political party declarations that voters must sign when participating in the 2024 Presidential Primary were certified Tuesday morning by Secretary of State Steve Hobbs.

Washington’s voters do not register as members of a political party. However, state law RCW 29A.56.050 requires voters to declare on their ballot envelopes whether their party of preference is Republican or Democratic to have their votes counted in the Presidential Primary. The voted ballot inside… Read more

OLYMPIA — The deadline to submit nominations for Washington’s Medals of Merit and Valor is Sep. 15, 2023.

The Medal of Merit recognizes exceptional individuals 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.

On April 18, Secretary of State Steve Hobbs… Read more

OLYMPIA — Certification of the August 1 Primary has been completed, setting the stage for November’s general election in counties across Washington.

More than 1.1 million voters statewide participated in the August Primary, a 28.9% turnout by voters in the 36 counties which held an election. Issues on voters’ ballots included city and county elected offices, school and fire district positions, and local ballot proposals.

“The August Primary was very well run in counties across the state,” Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said. “Now our work turns to… Read more

OLYMPIA — A secure portal operated by the Office of Secretary of State provides all Washington residents, public employees, and state retirees a one-stop way to donate to Maui relief efforts.

The Disaster Relief Center, a special project of the Secretary of State’s Combined Fund Drive charity fundraising program, provides links for one-time donations by credit cards or, for state and other public employees, payroll or retirement deductions to benefit each donor’s choice of verified relief organizations aiding… Read more

OLYMPIA — The Office of the Secretary of State is monitoring reports of suspicious materials in envelopes received by elections officials in King and Okanogan counties.

Local, state, and federal authorities are investigating the incidents, which occurred while election workers were processing ballots from the August 1 Primary election.

A suspicious letter received Monday by the King County Elections office was turned over to the United States Postal Inspection Service, which performed an analysis that detected trace amounts of fentanyl. The Okanogan County… Read more

OLYMPIA — Secretary of State Steve Hobbs has been named Western Region Vice President of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS).

Secretary Hobbs was sworn in Wednesday, July 12, at the NASS 2023 Summer Conference in Washington, D.C.

Founded in 1904, NASS is the nation’s oldest nonpartisan professional organization for public officials. Its members include secretaries of state, lieutenant governors, and chief state election officials from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories.

“I am honored to have been… Read more