WA and OR sue Trump to stop ‘takeover administration of our state election systems’
OLYMPIA—Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs and Attorney General Nick Brown announced a joint lawsuit with the state of Oregon against the Trump administration regarding an elections and voting rights executive order issued March 25 At a press conference in Seattle on April 4, Secretary Hobbs and Attorney General Brown outlined the ways the executive order […]
Secretary of State Steve Hobbs’ statement to Presidential executive order on elections
OLYMPIA—Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs issued the following statement on the recent Presidential Executive Order pertaining to elections, announced March 25, 2025. Steve Hobbs statement on executive order titled, “Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections” “Washington’s elections are secure, transparent, and built on the work of experienced state and local officials who […]
Jimi Hendrix, State Ecology Workers Recognized with Washington’s Highest Honors
OLYMPIA—A legendary rock guitarist from Seattle and four state workers who rescued a woman from a burning car were honored with Washington’s highest awards – the Medal of Merit and the Medal of Valor – during a ceremony at the State Capitol, Tuesday, March 18. Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, joined by Governor Bob Ferguson, […]
Supreme Court upholds signature verification process in Vet Voice v. Hobbs
OLYMPIA – The Washington Supreme Court issued its ruling today in Vet Voice v. Hobbs, unanimously affirming the constitutionality of the state’s signature verification process for vote-by-mail ballots. In a majority opinion, the court ruled in favor of the defendants, upholding the longstanding process that ensures the integrity of Washington’s vote-by-mail system. The plaintiffs challenged […]
Latest deadline in Washington Legislature fells more bills
More legislation fell by the wayside Friday, February 28, in the Washington Legislature, including bills on signature gathering for ballot initiatives, free school meals and ballot box tampering. Friday was the deadline for bills to pass through fiscal committees, like Senate Ways and Means and House Appropriations. With a multibillion-dollar deficit hanging over the session, […]
Washington Productivity Board approves Lottery Team’s revenue idea
OLYMPIA—The Productivity Board, a state employee incentive program of the Office of the Secretary of State, voted unanimously on Feb. 27, 2025, to reward four state employees a cash award for their idea to generate revenue for the state. A team at Washington’s Lottery Commission implemented a project to improve earnings on their municipal investment […]
Stop the ‘initiative killer’ on Feb 24
The current Secretary of State Steve Hobbs (Democrat) and former Secretary of State Sam Reed (Republican) BOTH oppose SB 5382 and say it would not be good for Washington—kill this “initiative killer” bill! Washington’s initiative process is a vital tool for direct democracy, ensuring that the people have a voice in shaping the state’s laws. […]
Tabletop Gaming Material Grants now available for WA libraries
OLYMPIA – The Washington State Library is now accepting applications for their tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) Innovation Grants for up to $2,000, which are available to any public, school, tribal, or community college libraries in Washington. Applications are due by March 10, and those who receive the grants will have until September 30, 2026, to […]
Clash in WA Legislature over proposal to add rules for initiative signers
OLYMPIA—A push by Democratic state senators for greater scrutiny of those circulating and signing initiative petitions advanced in the Washington Legislature on Tuesday over the objections of Republicans and the secretary of state. Opponents of the legislation argue it would impede voters’ ability to engage in the initiative process, which allows citizens to propose changes […]
Secretary of State Steve Hobbs fights for election security funding
OLYMPIA—Secretary of State Steve Hobbs sent a letter to the Washington state congressional delegation, urging them to take immediate action and secure election security funding in the midst of looming federal budget cuts and funding freezes. “While M25-13, which threatened ISAC funding, was quickly rescinded, a federal review of grants and financial support for ISACs […]
