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Category: Charities

Reed seeks earlier primary & ballots in by Election Day

Reed seeks earlier primary & ballots in by Election Day

Secretary of State Sam Reed is urging lawmakers to move Washington’s Primary Election two weeks earlier, to early August. He also asks for a law requiring ballots to be in county elections offices by Election Day, rather than simply postmarked that day. Reed, who has spent more than 30 years administering state and local elections, says the earlier primary would help Washington comply with a new federal law requiring military ballots to be mailed out 45 days before Election Day….

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‘Tis the season to give wisely

‘Tis the season to give wisely

With the holiday season now upon us, many people are thinking about making donations to one or more charities. And of course, many of us have been, or will be, getting solicitations from commercial fundraising organizations to give money to various causes. If you’re thinking about opening your wallet in the name of charity, make sure to give wisely. That was the main message that Secretary Reed and Attorney General Rob McKenna had for everyone as they held a news…

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Welcome, Combined Fund Drive!

Welcome, Combined Fund Drive!

It’s official: The Combined Fund Drive will be transferred from the Department of Personnel to the Office of Secretary of State! The Governor just signed bill 6540, authorizing the move. The Office of Secretary of State welcomes three new employees and the workplace giving program that has helped raise tens of millions of dollars for charities since its creation in 1984.

Military-overseas voting bill moving forward

Military-overseas voting bill moving forward

One of Secretary Reed’s requested bills for this session cleared a key hurdle when the Senate Government Operations and Elections Committee passed it Monday. House Bill 2483 would let military and overseas voters return a ballot by fax or email as long as the voter’s signed declaration is returned with the ballot. It would help ensure that our military and overseas voters can send in their ballot in time to be counted. The bill is headed to the Senate Rules…

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Mr. Reed visits the Legislature – twice

Mr. Reed visits the Legislature – twice

While Secretary Reed regularly meets with legislators to discuss proposals and issues impacting the Office of Secretary of State, it isn’t every day that he actually testifies before a legislative committee. This week, he had one of those days. The Secretary of State went before lawmakers not once, but twice, on a proposal to move the Combined Fund Drive, a popular workplace giving program, from the Department of Personnel (DOP) to our agency. Secretary Reed spoke before the House General Government…

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Watch out: Scam e-mails try to snatch Haiti donations

Watch out: Scam e-mails try to snatch Haiti donations

Yesterday our office warned you to be on guard against scammers as you donate to aid the horrific disaster in Haiti. Today, our IT department alerted us to the fact that spammers are already sending out scam e-mails requesting donations to send to Haiti – and these messages are convincing!   Here’s an example of the type of spam you may be getting in your inbox: The best practice, our Charities Manager tells us, is to donate directly to the charitable…

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Help Haitian victims by steering clear of scammers

Help Haitian victims by steering clear of scammers

A powerful earthquake in Haiti has prompted international leaders and aid organizations to urge the public to donate in the relief effort. Right now, you may feel compelled to help the families of thousands of victims there by making a donation. While the Charities program within the Secretary of State’s Office wants you to be generous, it also urges you to not let emotions cloud good judgment when it comes to donating your money.  Often, scammers use tragedies like these…

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Holiday Giving Tip No. 4

Holiday Giving Tip No. 4

Don’t let all those hot chocolates and candy canes cloud your good judgment! Today’s Holiday Giving Tip: Don’t pay cash and don’t give out your credit card number! Seriously! This may seem like a no-brainer, but sometimes when people are in the giving spirit over the holidays, they tend to be trusting of organizations asking them to do some good for mankind. But throw reason and discernment out the door just because there are Santas everywhere!  Pay by check and…

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Holiday Giving Tip No. 3

Holiday Giving Tip No. 3

Today’s Holiday Giving Tip: Don’t be fooled by the name! Are you terrible with names? Well when you’re dealing with charities, you better tighten up!  Often, fraudulent groups will use a name that closely resembles a reputable, well-established charity. Other times, they might try using a very sympathetic name to pull at your heartstring.  The bottom line is: It doesn’t matter what the name of the charity is … you should always check to see if it’s registered and get…

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Holiday Giving Tip No. 2

Holiday Giving Tip No. 2

We’re in prime holly jolly time now, when you are likely being approached each time you’re at the shopping mall with people who ask you to give to a good cause. Our Charities Program wants to keep you from being snookered, and has come up with some easy tips to make sure your donations pack a punch. Today’s Holiday Giving Tip: Ask “What percentage does your organization spend on the charitable purpose”? Why do this? Let’s say a group says it is…

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