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Category: Executive

Collage of photos of Frank Porter Hungate and Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs with the original Washington State Constitution.
THE WASHINGTON STATE CONSTITUTION: A FAMILY’S LEGACY

THE WASHINGTON STATE CONSTITUTION: A FAMILY’S LEGACY

On March 2, 2022, Frank Porter Hungate, the 103-year-old grandson of 1889 Constitutional Convention delegate James Allen Hungate, visited Washington State Archives’ headquarters in Olympia to view the original 1889 Washington State Constitution. The original State Constitution is kept in a secure vault and — save for exclusive viewings and ceremonies (such as an anniversary of statehood or Constitution Days) — is not available for public viewing. Yet the opportunity for Frank to see his grandfather’s signature and further his…

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THE WASHINGTON STATE HERITAGE CENTER TRUST IS NOW THE ALL FOUNDATION OF WASHINGTON

THE WASHINGTON STATE HERITAGE CENTER TRUST IS NOW THE ALL FOUNDATION OF WASHINGTON

In fall 2021 the Washington State Heritage Center Trust became the ALL Foundation of Washington (ALL Foundation). The Washington State Heritage Center Trust was established in 2008 as a 501(c)(3) to fund and support Washington State Library, Washington Talking Book & Braille Library (WTBBL), Legacy Washington, and Washington State Archives programs and collections. The ALL Foundation builds on the work of the trust to promote history, community, and preservation statewide, and serve as the fiduciary of funds raised specifically to…

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Gov. Inslee & Secretary Wyman certify 2016 election

Gov. Inslee & Secretary Wyman certify 2016 election

Secretary Wyman and Gov. Inslee certify the 2016 General Election returns. (Photos courtesy of Patrick McDonald) Secretary of State Kim Wyman and Gov. Jay Inslee have certified the returns for the 2016 General Election, including a record number of ballot measures and hotly contested races from the White House to local offices. The election drew record voter registrations of nearly 4.3 million and the most ballots ever counted in the state, over 3.36 million.  The turnout was nearly 79 percent,…

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Top 2 Primary producing finalists for WA General Election

Top 2 Primary producing finalists for WA General Election

Washington voters began clearing the decks for the fall General Election by choosing their favorite candidates to advance, using a qualifying election called the Top 2 Primary. There were surprises — such as several state Senate and House incumbents who were attempting to fend off strong challenges — and the twist of producing several marquee November matchups that will feature finalists from the same party. For the first time, it appears that two candidates from the same party will vie…

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Neary & Lane sworn in as top aides to Secretary Wyman

Neary & Lane sworn in as top aides to Secretary Wyman

Secretary Wyman and the whole Office of Secretary of State are saying farewell to Assistant Secretary Ken Raske and welcoming his successor, Mark Neary, and Greg Lane, Neary’s successor as Deputy Secretary. Raske has a long history of working with Secretary Wyman, dating back to more than a decade in county government when Wyman was Thurston County Auditor. When Wyman was elected Secretary in 2012, her first personnel announcement was Raske as her top lieutenant.  But earlier this year, Raske…

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Quilts of Valor exhibit on display in July

Quilts of Valor exhibit on display in July

The Secretary of State’s next office exhibit will feature quilts that salute American combat troops. Thirteen beautiful handmade quilts created by volunteer quilters from around Washington will be on display in the Secretary of State’s front lobby during the month of July. The office is on the second floor of the Legislative Building in Olympia. The office is open Monday through Friday (except holidays) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The quilts are part of the national Quilts of Valor program….

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Inslee budget: $1.4b in new revenue, mostly for K-12

Inslee budget: $1.4b in new revenue, mostly for K-12

The Battle of the Budgets has begun. Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat in the third month of his tenure, unveiled his $34.4 billion budget blueprint in a lengthy televised news conference at the Capitol on Thursday. Headline: He would generate about $1.4 billion in new revenue by extending expiring taxes and by closing or reducing a variety of tax exemptions.  The new money would mostly go for education, a $1.2 billion down-payment on the state addressing a state Supreme Court…

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Kim Wyman sworn in as 15th WA Secretary of State

Kim Wyman sworn in as 15th WA Secretary of State

Kim Wyman has been inaugurated as Washington’s 15th Secretary of State, following a line of Republicans stretching back a half-century. Wyman is the only woman and only Republican elected to statewide executive office in the last election, only the second woman Secretary of State in Washington history, and the first woman Republican Secretary in the Evergreen State. Wyman took the oath of office shortly after noon on Wednesday, drawing cheers at a joint session of the House and Senate when…

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After 45 years in public life, Sam Reed bids farewell

After 45 years in public life, Sam Reed bids farewell

(Photo courtesy of  Legislative Support Services Photography) Secretary of State Sam Reed bade a fond farewell to the people of Washington Tuesday after 45 years in public life, including 35 years as a state and county elected official. Addressing a joint session of the Legislature, Reed brought along a special reminder of his family’s long connection to Washington politics and government — his grandfather Sam Sumner’s battered leather briefcase.  Exactly 100 years earlier, Sumner, a state GOP chairman and longtime…

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Visiting cloudy Coupeville

Visiting cloudy Coupeville

Taking his final tour of the northwestern part of our state, Secretary of State Reed is visiting Coupeville, the Island County seat located in the central part of beautiful Whidbey Island.  Reed chatted with Island County Auditor Sheilah Crider and staff at the Island County Courthouse, and took a tour of the Island County Historical Society Museum.  Later this afternoon, Reed will travel to Bellingham. Below is a picture of the Coupeville wharf on this fine, if cool, June-uary morning.