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Elections

Looking back at WA’s 1889 fall election

Looking back at WA’s 1889 fall election

(Images courtesy of Washington State Archives) Two big dates for Washingtonians are coming up this fall – the statewide General Election that ends Nov. 4 and our 125th birthday as a state on Nov. 11. Since we often like to blog about history or elections, our State Archives staff once again has come through, retrieving two historical documents from this date 125 years ago that bring elections and statehood together. On Oct. 1, 1889, voters chose Washington’s first elected state…

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SecWyman talks election with Comcast Newsmakers

SecWyman talks election with Comcast Newsmakers

With the General Election just weeks away, the public and media are casting their eyes on the key races, measures and dates before voters cast their ballots. As the chief elections official in Washington, Secretary of State Kim Wyman is being interviewed more and more leading up to the fall election. Wyman recently sat down for an interview with Comcast Newsmakers host Sabrina Register to talk about what is on the ballot  (all 10 congressional seats, all of the state…

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WA Election 2014 under way; 62% turnout forecast

WA Election 2014 under way; 62% turnout forecast

Washington’s General Election is under way.  About 65,000 military and overseas ballots were going out by Saturday, Sept. 20, many of them sent electronically, and those voters are able to begin voting as soon as they receive their ballots. The other 3.8 million registered voters will be getting ballots and Voters’ Pamphlets by this time next month. The 18-day voting period kicks off Oct. 17. Ballots can be voted any time after they are received. They may be returned by…

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Wyman, county auditors reach out to potential voters

Wyman, county auditors reach out to potential voters

Are you a Washington resident who is eligible to vote but hasn’t registered yet? Expect a postcard in the mail soon that encourages you to register in time for this fall’s General Election. That’s the word from state Elections Division officials, who are joining Washington’s 39 county auditors to mail voter registration information to 210,000 eligible residents who haven’t registered yet. About one-third of the recipients are 18-year-olds and 60 percent are under 30. The postcards are being mailed through…

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Secretary Wyman certifies ’14 Primary

Secretary Wyman certifies ’14 Primary

Secretary of State Kim Wyman, the state’s chief elections officer, has certified the returns of the 2014 Washington Primary. The 39 counties tallied 1,222,710 ballots, 31.15 percent of the state’s registered voters. That is considerably lower than the 40 percent average of the two previous mid-term primaries, although both of those elections had U.S. Senate races to generate more television ads and spur greater voter attention. A much larger turnout is expected in the fall, when final winners will be…

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Wyman: Zero-tolerance for petition fraud

Wyman: Zero-tolerance for petition fraud

Secretary Wyman, whose office oversees “direct democracy” through ballot measures, says she’s gratified that a jail term has been ordered for a Snohomish County woman who was convicted of initiative fraud. The jail term, believed to be the first such sentence for this type of fraud, underscores that Washington has “zero tolerance” for petition fraud, Secretary Wyman said. The six-month jail/work-release sentence was imposed by Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Anita Farris on Julie Klein, 54, Marysville, The Herald of…

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Top 2 Primary produces November finalists

Top 2 Primary produces November finalists

Washington voters made ready for the fall General Election by choosing their favorites to advance beyond the first cut — the qualifying election called the Top 2 Primary. There were surprises — such as several state Senate incumbents who were attempting to fend off strong challenges — and the twist of producing several marquee November finals that will feature finalists from the same party preference. Prime example: 4th Congressional District voters in Eastern Washington were choosing two Republicans, former Super…

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WA Primary voters give their Top 2 verdicts

WA Primary voters give their Top 2 verdicts

The seventh running of Washington’s Top 2 Primary gave voters the task of  winnowing the field of candidates for scores of state and local offices. The system, used since a voter-approved Top 2 initiative got the green light from the U.S. Supreme Court in 2008, lets voters collectively choose their two favorite candidates for each office to face off in the Nov. 4 General Election. Secretary of State Kim Wyman, the state’s chief elections official, urged a strong turnout, reminding…

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I-1351 qualifies for WA ballot

I-1351 qualifies for WA ballot

Secretary of State Kim Wyman on Friday certified an initiative aiming to lower class sizes in Washington public schools. The measure, Initiative 1351, will be placed on the statewide ballot this fall after a check this week determined it has enough signatures to qualify. A team of 10 signature checkers finished their work late Thursday afternoon after beginning Monday morning. For an initiative to qualify for the statewide ballot, sponsors must submit at least 246,372 valid signatures, equal to 8…

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Wyman: Tips for voters affected by wildfires

Wyman: Tips for voters affected by wildfires

A wildfire rages near Malott in Okanogan County. (Photo courtesy of Omak-Okanogan Chronicle) As crews continue battling the largest wildfires in Washington history, Secretary of State Kim Wyman is offering assistance to affected counties and voters as the state’s Aug. 5 Primary Election voting period is underway. Wyman said Friday that counties in the wildlife zones of north-central and northeastern Washington, particularly Okanogan and Ferry counties, are dealing admirably administering the Primary Election under adverse circumstances, including lack of electricity,…

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