News

OLYMPIA – The Office of the Secretary of State certified statewide results of the 2024 General Election on Wednesday, Dec. 4.

According to vote totals certified by Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, 3.96 million voters, or 78.94% of registered voters, returned ballots in the Nov. 5 election. Using Washington’s secure vote-by-mail system, 66.47% of voters returned ballots to official county drop boxes, and 32.78% of voters returned ballots by mail.

Washington reached a milestone on Nov. 4, surpassing 5 million registered voters. Notably, on Oct. 28, 10,059 voters registered… Read more

OLYMPIA – The Productivity Board, a state employee incentive program of the Office of the Secretary of State, voted unanimously to award seven state employees up to $11,971.70 total for their ideas to reduce cost or generate revenue for the state, Monday, Dec. 2.

The Productivity Board encourages all state employees to help save taxpayers' money by offering up to $10,000 for a successful employee proposal to … Read more

OLYMPIA – The Office of the Secretary of State directed a machine recount of the state Senate race in Legislative District 18, December 2.

As of county certification on Nov. 26, Adrian Cortes, a Democrat, leads Brad Benton, a Republican, by 172 votes, a difference of 0.2%.  

A machine recount is required for all races and statewide measures when the margin is less than 2,000 votes and less than 0.5% of the total votes cast for both candidates, per RCW 29A.64.021. The Clark County Canvassing Board is… Read more

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