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Category: Secretary of State Sam Reed

Wyman begins second term as Washington Secretary of State

Wyman begins second term as Washington Secretary of State

Secretary Wyman with former Secretaries of State Sam Reed (left) and Ralph Munro at her ceremonial swearing-in. (Photo courtesy of Laura Mott) Kim Wyman began her second term as Washington’s 15th Secretary of State after being sworn into office before a joint legislative session Wednesday. Wyman took the oath of office from Supreme Court Justice Mary Yu shortly after noon on Wednesday, receiving cheers at a joint session of the House and Senate when she was called up to the…

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WA lawmakers convene 2016 session

WA lawmakers convene 2016 session

The 2016 election-year session of the Washington Legislature is under way. Gavels fell at noon to usher in a 60-day session, with lawmakers expressing hope that there will be no need for overtime. Last year they went into triple overtime that lasted until July. House Speaker Frank Chopp quoted Majority Leader Pat Sullivan: If the Seattle Seahawks could pull off a miraculous victory Sunday, surely the Legislature can wrap it up in 60 days. It’s true that there are a…

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Secretary Wyman hosts USS Olympia officers

Secretary Wyman hosts USS Olympia officers

Secretary Wyman and USS Olympia officers, with one of them holding a portrait of the Olympia. (Photo courtesy of Patrick McDonald) Secretary of State Kim Wyman welcomed USS Olympia officers to their namesake city Thursday, thanking them for their service and for taking good care of the Pearl Harbor-based fast attack submarine. Commander Tom Shugart, Master Chief Roland Midgett and Assistant Engineer Zachary Copes were visiting Olympia for its annual Lakefair, a tradition that started in 1983 under the Olympia’s…

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Historian/journalist John Hughes honored by state

Historian/journalist John Hughes honored by state

After being praised by Secretary Wyman (left), John C. Hughes addresses the crowd at a reception honoring him in Wyman’s office. (Photo courtesy of Laura Mott)  John C. Hughes was honored by the state Senate and Secretary of State Kim Wyman on Tuesday for his robust 50-year career in journalism and doing critically acclaimed oral history for Legacy Washington. A large delegation from Grays Harbor and dignitaries, colleagues and friends from Olympia filled the ornate Senate gallery as Sens. Jim…

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State Library’s past, future celebrated

State Library’s past, future celebrated

Central Library Services Manager Steve Willis holds up the new booklet about the Washington Territorial Library during his talk at Tuesday’s celebration event. Political turf battles. Unsavory characters. Nepotism. You normally wouldn’t associate these terms with a library. But they help describe the turbulent, ever-changing  era of the Washington Territorial Library, which was established in 1853 in Olympia and remains Washington’s oldest cultural institution. The Washington State Library hosted a public celebration of the Library’s 160th anniversary at its Tumwater…

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Wyman elected to national exec board

Wyman elected to national exec board

Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman, rounding out her first six months in office, was honored to be elected to the executive board of the National Association of Secretaries of State. Wyman, second from right in photo, was unanimously elected vice president for the western region of the United States by her peers at the NASS summer conference in Anchorage over the weekend.  Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown, to the left of Wyman in the photo, is the president-elect….

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New video focuses on military voting

New video focuses on military voting

We’ve just finished a cool new video that chronicles efforts on behalf of our office to assist military voters. Watch the video here. Entitled “Serving Those Who Serve – A Guide to Military Voting in Washington State,” the approximately 10 minute video aims to educate military members living in Washington or overseas, a group of voters who represent one of the most mobile demographics. Washington has a large military population, and almost 50,000 registered military voters. The state enjoys a…

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Reed returns to WSU to give commencement speech

Reed returns to WSU to give commencement speech

Like most other proud and loyal Washington State University graduates, former Secretary of State Sam Reed is always happy to return to his alma mater and set foot on the hilly campus located in the heart of the Palouse. Reed had even more reason to be thrilled about his latest trip to Pullman. He delivered the commencement speech at WSU’s graduation ceremony May 4 in Beasley Coliseum. You can watch the graduation ceremony here. Reed’s introduction by Daryll DeWald, the…

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Long battle for Top 2 Primary officially over

Long battle for Top 2 Primary officially over

(Photo courtesy of Legislative Support Services, Photo Department) It was a quiet, noncontroversial ending to a 12-year legal, legislative and ballot-box battle to preserve a wide-open primary system for Washington voters. The fight had involved the political parties, the highest court in the land, and even a detour through California. Gov. Jay Inslee signed Senate Bill 5518 to clear the state law books of all references to the much-maligned Pick-a-Party system that voters were required to use in 2004 through…

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Civility, respect … and more sleep!

Civility, respect … and more sleep!

Secretary of State Kim Wyman introduces her predecessor, Sam Reed, who moderated a panel on legislative civility.  Researchers from Washington State University wanted to know: How can you improve the public view of state government and the Legislature, improve the legislative process, and make Olympia a more civil place? So professors Nicholas Lovrich and Francis Benjamin conducted surveys with past and present Washington legislators, staff and lobbyists — and came away with a treasure trove of observations about how legislators…

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