Hobbs visits colleges, talks voter engagement and combating misinformation
EVERETT, Wash, April 26, 2023— With candidate filing week less than a month away for the 2023 General Election, Washington Secretary of State, Steve Hobbs, met with the Lynnwood Times during his North Sound tour on Tuesday, April 25, where we discussed everything from election integrity to cybersecurity; and on a lighter note, his passion […]
Governor signs bill removing barriers to Medal of Valor recipients
OLYMPIA, Wash., April 21, 2023—Freshman Representative Sam Low (R-Lake Stevens) had his first bill signed into law by Governor Jay Inslee on Thursday, April 20, that makes it easier to honor Washington State Medal of Valor recipients who put their lives on the line to save another. “Removing the barriers to when the award can be […]
Seeking nominations for Washington’s Medals of Merit and Valor
OLYMPIA, Wash., April 19, 2023—The Office of the Secretary of State is now accepting nominations for Washington’s Medals of Merit and Valor, the highest civilian honors awarded to the people of Washington. The Medal of Merit recognizes exceptional individuals who perform outstanding services for Washington and its residents. The Medal of Valor is awarded to […]
“Love, Equally” public exhibit celebrates marriage equality
OLYMPIA, Wash., February 15, 2023—The opening ceremony for the “Love, Equally” exhibit packed the State Reception Room of the Legislative Building in Olympia on Valentine’s Day. The event occurred on the 14th to simultaneously celebrate the 10th anniversary of marriage equality in Washington state. Something highlighted by “Love, Equally” is the recency of marriage equality. […]
Legacy Washington’s “Love, Equally” public exhibit opens Feb. 14
OLYMPIA, Wash., February 8, 2023—Secretary of State Steve Hobbs and Governor Jay Inslee, along with state and local dignitaries, community leaders, and civil rights trailblazers, will gather at the Legislative Building in Olympia on February 14 for the grand opening of Legacy Washington’s newest exhibit, “Love, Equally: The Journey to Marriage Equality.” The public is […]
Secretary of State urges patience as ballot counting continues
OLYMPIA—As election officials continue to verify signatures, process ballots, and post updated vote totals through Nov. 28, Secretary of State Steve Hobbs encouraged voters to remain patient. Washington’s 21-day certification window prioritizes accuracy to ensure that every valid ballot from the Nov. 8 General Election will be counted. With more than 2.4 million ballots accepted […]
Washington to activate National Guard cyber teams for election security
First reported by Politico on Friday, November 4, the National Guard in cooperation with state governors will be activating approximately 100 personnel for state active duty to support officials in 14 states to protect election infrastructure against cyber threats. Overall, the National Guard has a total of 2,200 cyber support personnel within 38 cyber units […]
Secretary of State Steve Hobbs travels the state on election integrity tour
ARLINGTON, Wash., July 31, 2022 – Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs was the guest speaker at the Rotary Club of Arlington on Thursday to answer questions on election integrity and cybersecurity and share the latest initiatives of his agency. Hobbs, a 17-year Rotarian has been traveling the state from Spokane to Walla Walla, Vancouver […]
Heather Hirotaka named Washington State Archivist
OLYMPIA — Secretary of State Steve Hobbs has appointed Heather Hirotaka, a longtime public servant, as the next Washington State Archivist, effective July 5, 2022. Hirotaka will oversee Washington State Archives, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State (OSOS) that collects and preserves the state’s historical records and makes them available to […]
Historic vote: County Council appoints Lovick and Donaghy to state legislature
SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash., December 16, 2021 – At its 3 p.m. meeting yesterday, Snohomish County Council members voted to appoint John Lovick as state Senator and Brandy Donaghy as state Representative to the 44th Legislative District. This is a historic moment for Snohomish County as the 44th LD becomes the first and only district in […]
