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Greetings! We’re in the middle of a hot summer on both sides of the Cascades, so I hope you’ve been able to cool off as much as possible.
I’ve been on the road for much of the past month, traveling to the East Coast and Colorado for highly productive conferences with cybersecurity experts and officials from federal and state government agencies. In these summit meetings, I was honored to share with my fellow elections leaders the pioneering steps that have kept Washington’s voting systems among the most secure in the country. From bolstering our high-tech security measures to ensuring that verifiable paper ballots remain the centerpiece of how Washingtonians vote, we’ve been setting the standard for how secure American elections can be. And we’re working to make our system even stronger.
While we’re planning for the future, we have a very important election currently going on. Have you cast your Primary ballot yet? We’re less than a week from Election Day, and with postage-paid ballot return envelopes available to voters in every county for the first time, making your voice heard is more convenient than ever before.
You can keep an eye on the turnout numbers at this frequently-updated webpage and compare it to historic rates in the data section of our website. Keeping a close watch on the data we get from postage-paid ballot returns and whether or not it increases voter participation will be instrumental in helping the state decide whether to provide this service permanently, so every vote truly counts. If you haven’t received a ballot, visit MyVote.wa.gov right now to make sure you’re registered, and contact your county elections officials to clear up any issues.
Thanks for your time and interest in our office. Please follow our office on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, and forward this message to anyone you think might be interested in reading it. As always, thank you for the privilege of serving as your Secretary of State.
Sincerely,
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THE BIG ASK: HELPING SEATTLE CITYCLUB’S ANNUAL BENEFIT
I was recently honored to address an audience of hundreds and help raise money for a cause particularly near to my heart: funding programs and civic events by Seattle CityClub.
This organization does terrific work promoting civic awareness and engagement in our state’s largest city, particularly by holding events on various campuses so students can learn about government and get involved early in life. I’ve long been impressed by CityClub, which hosted a debate during my first run for this office in 2012.
I was thrilled to get the opportunity to help raise awareness of the excellent work this organization does to help us live in a better-informed society.
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INITIATIVES RECEIVED, VERIFICATION BEGINS
In early July, our Elections Division buzzed with activity, receiving thousands of signature sheets from initiative sponsor groups working to place measures on the November ballot.
Sponsors of three initiatives reported that they had turned in more than the 259,622 signatures required to make the ballot. They are:
All three submitted enough signatures to allow our checkers to use statistical sampling, so we were able to complete verification on all three by August 2nd. They'll be on this November's General Election ballot.
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CONDUCTING THE MORMON TABERNACLE CHOIR
On Monday, July 2nd, I was honored to be a guest conductor for a sold-out concert by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir at Benaroya Hall in Seattle.
This 360-member chorus of men and women, all volunteers, has performed at World’s Fairs and expositions, at inaugurations of U.S. presidents, in acclaimed concert halls in Australia, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, on television broadcasts, and on social media.
I couldn’t resist the chance to take a selfie of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
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LEARN SCRAPBOOKING FROM PROFESSIONAL ARCHIVISTS
On Saturday, August 4th, the State Archives building at 1129 Washington Street Southeast in Olympia will host a FREE educational event where you can learn how archivists make and preserve scrapbooks.
Archivists Mary Hammer and Maggie Cogswell will lead a hands-on demonstration of scrapbook assembly and digitization, and Legacy Washington’s Chief Historian John Hughes will teach a seminar on how to collect oral histories by interviewing family members.
Seating is limited for this event. You can register online here.
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ONLINE VOTER REGISTRATION REACHES NEW HEIGHTS
Thanks to the excellent work by our Elections Division, thousands of Washingtonians registered to vote in time to be eligible for the August 7th Primary Election.
So many new voters signed up via the website in July that it became our greatest month for online voter registration since the November 2016 election!
If you missed the deadline, be sure to visit MyVote.wa.gov to register in time for the General Election on November 6th.
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TALKING SECURE ELECTIONS AT THE ASPEN SECURITY FORUM
I spent much of July on the road talking about our state’s elections cybersecurity efforts, which have earned national recognition. In Colorado, I shared the stage with a panel of government and private-sector experts on American elections security and the hacking and disinformation threats they face.
In a blog entry for the Aspen Institute, I described the progress we’ve made in keeping our elections secure and our plans for defending against future threats. In the panel discussion, which you can watch by clicking the photo above, we discussed our state system within the larger context of American and international political evolution.
It was a fascinating event, and I was honored to represent the state of Washington!
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STATE ARCHIVES RECEIVES MORE WELL-DESERVED PRAISE
In a front-page story July 17th, the Seattle Times lauded the State Archives’ work aiding the recovery efforts from the Aberdeen Museum of History fire June 9th.
The article found some numbers to put the enormity of Archives’ assistance into context: nearly 800 hours of work saving 119 storage boxes’ worth of irreplaceable photos and other artifacts, performed by 24 archivists and volunteers.
As State Archivist Steve Excell told the reporter, “It’s part of our statutory mission.” I couldn’t be prouder of this extraordinary team and their phenomenal accomplishment!
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CORPORATIONS AND CHARITIES KICKS OFF OUTREACH CAMPAIGNS
Our Corporations and Charities Division launched two big public campaigns in July, and I’d like to spread the word about both.
One of my favorite parts of this job is the opportunity to recognize Washingtonians for doing great things for their communities. Each year, I get to do that for our state’s businesses through the Corporations for Communities awards, through which I award medallions to companies that give back to their hometowns through charitable giving and other uplifting work. If you know of a corporation registered in Washington that’s going above and beyond to make its community better, check out our nomination form here.
 Our office also joined a 50-state effort to work with the Federal Trade Commission to combat charities that scam donors by falsely promising to help veterans and service members. Through “Operation Donate With Honor,” we’re helping members of the public learn the importance of checking out a charity’s legitimacy before handing them money.
It’s unfortunate that such work is necessary, but I’m glad our team is playing a crucial role in getting it done. Charities and Corporations Education and Outreach Coordinator Teresa Glidden will be visiting retirement communities in the Tri-Cities and Walla Walla area August 21st-24th, and the Stafford Retirement Community in Kent August 28th to discuss the importance of investigation before donation.
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SAVE THE DATE: 70TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION IN SEATTLE
On Monday, August 20th, from 6 to 8 p.m., we'll be celebrating the 70th anniversary of the building that houses the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library in Seattle. I'm going to help unveil a new exhibit there recognizing the library's timeless importance and the unique facility in which it resides.
You're invited to help celebrate! For just $50 per person, enjoy hors d’oeuvres, a selection of Washington wines and beer, live music, and private tours of our remarkable Streamline Moderne building.
Space is limited, so to RSVP or request more information, please visit www.wtbbl.org or call (360) 902-4171. I hope to see you there!
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