News

OLYMPIA — For the first time in more than a century of voter-submitted ballot proposals, the filing fee for Initiatives to the Legislature will move from $5 to an inflation-indexed cost, currently set at $156. Similar adjustments to the filing fees for referenda and Initiatives to the People will take effect in January, the beginning of the next filing period for each.

OLYMPIA — Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs issued the following statement today regarding Washington’s Presidential Primary and the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision that states cannot decide eligibility for federal offices:

OLYMPIA — Ballot boxes in all 39 counties will open Friday, Feb. 23, for the March 12 Presidential Primary election. Vote-by-mail ballots are being sent to the state’s 4.8 million active voters, who may return their ballots to county drop boxes or by mail using the postage-paid envelopes included with each ballot.

OLYMPIA — State and federal experts will address election integrity concerns at a panel discussion Friday hosted by the Office of the Secretary of State and the Thomas S. Foley Institute of Washington State University.

OLYMPIA — For the first time in nine years, Washington’s Medals of Merit and Valor will be awarded Wednesday at a ceremony in the state Legislative Building.

OLYMPIA — Former Assistant Secretary of State Steve Excell, who served as the Washington State Archivist for nearly a decade and was chief of staff to former Governor John Spellman, died Wednesday at age 74.

The Office of the Secretary of State (OSOS) will be represented at Emerald City Comic Con.

OLYMPIA — K-12 students across the state can now participate in the 2024 Student Mock Election presented by the Office of the Secretary of State.