Washington residents now able to donate toward Hurricane Helene relief efforts

OLYMPIA—Secretary of State Steve Hobbs opened a secure portal for all Washington residents, public employees, and state retirees to donate to Hurricane Helene relief efforts. The Disaster Relief Center, a special function of the Secretary of State’s Combined Fund Drive, provides links for one-time donations to verified and registered crisis-relief charities during periods of natural […]
WSDOT awards Port of Everett a $4.3 million CCA grant to electrify South Terminal

EVERETT—The Port of Everett was one of 11 recipients awarded a capital grant, funded with Climate Commitment Act (CCA) funds, by the Washington Department of Transportation’s (WSDOT) Port Electrification Program. The Port of Everett was awarded the $4.3 million competitive grant in August to be used to help fund a $5.8 million project to construct […]
Four state employees awarded $11,000 for improving government efficiency

OLYMPIA—The Productivity Board, a state employee incentive program of the Office of the Secretary of State, voted unanimously Thursday to award four state employees up to $11,300 total for their ideas to save the state money. The Productivity Board encourages all state employees to help save taxpayers’ money by offering up to $10,000 for a successful employee […]
Nine presidential nominations by minor parties and independent candidates qualify for Washington’s November ballot

OLYMPIA — Nine presidential nominations by minor parties and independent candidates have qualified to appear on Washington’s November 5 General Election ballot, the Secretary of State’s Office announced on August 13. The Office of the Secretary of State issued letters Tuesday to notify each nominating group of its qualification. Including nominees from the two major […]
WA Democratic Party pushing to keep Robert Kennedy Jr off ballot

The state Democratic Party wants presidential hopeful Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr) kept off the ballot in Washington this November. It contends the 4,181 signatures submitted by We the People in support of Kennedy’s nomination were not collected at a party convention as required by state law, making him ineligible to be one of voters’ choices. Kennedy’s […]
State Supreme Court rejects latest attempt to throw out initiatives

OLYMPIA—Washington State Supreme Court justices unanimously rejected two cases on Friday, August 9, by progressive groups—Defend Washington and Washington Conservation Action Education Fund—against Secretary of State Steve Hobbs that aimed to invalidate all seven citizen-initiated initiatives of which three were passed by the legislature into law earlier this year in March, and four to be […]
Democratic candidates win big in State Executive races

OLYMPIA—Executive-level election results in Washington state are officially being tallied. Some races we can call early and others, we will have to wait as ballots are counted over the next several days. After the third day of results, Democratic candidates are leading all but one State Executive race. Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands has […]
Combined Fund Drive celebrates 40 years of charitable giving across the state

OLYMPIA — The Washington state Combined Fund Drive (CFD), a charitable giving program administered by the Office of the Secretary of State, is celebrating 40 years of helping state employees and retirees contribute to philanthropic causes. The CFD is Washington state’s workplace-giving program for active and retired public employees. Public employees of state government and higher-education institutions […]
Secretary of State’s office distributes $2 million to county elections offices to bolster security

OLYMPIA—In the second year of a statewide funding program to help counties improve their elections security, the Washington state Office of the Secretary of State has provided approximately $2 million to 29 elections offices statewide, with final calculations pending. The program’s third year of funding is now open. As in prior years, each county’s elections […]
Over 430,000 signatures submitted for initiative against banning natural gas

THURSTON COUNTY—The Building Industry Association of Washington (BIAW), Let’s Go Washington, and the Washington Housing Association celebrated submitting 431,063 signatures to the Secretary of State’s Office Tuesday, July 2, to qualify placing Initiative 2066 (I-2066) – to protect natural gas as an energy choice and prevent gas bans – on the upcoming November ballot. By […]