2024 Washington Secretary of State election

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 2024 Washington Secretary of State election

| country = Washington

| type = presidential

| ongoing = no

| previous_election = 2022 Washington Secretary of State special election

| previous_year = 2022 (special)

| next_election = 2028 Washington Secretary of State election

| next_year = 2028

| election_date = November 5, 2024

| image1 = Steve Hobbs (cropped).jpg

| nominee1 = Steve Hobbs

| party1 = Democratic Party (US)

| popular_vote1 = 2,234,420

| percentage1 = 59.20%

| image2 = 3x4.svg

| nominee2 = Dale Whitaker

| party2 = Republican Party (US)

| popular_vote2 = 1,535,977

| percentage2 = 40.70%

| map_image = {{switcher |275px |County results |275px |Congressional district results |275px |Precinct results |default=1}}

| map_size = 275px

| map_caption = Hobbs: {{legend0|#A5B0FF|40–50%}} {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}} {{legend0|#584cde|70–80%}} {{legend0|#3933e5|80–90%}} {{legend0|#0D0596|>90%}}
Whitaker: {{legend0|#FFB2B2|40–50%}} {{legend0|#E27F7F|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60–70%}} {{legend0|#D72F30|70–80%}} {{legend0|#C21B18|80–90%}} {{legend0|#A80000|>90%}}
Tie: {{legend0|#d2b1d9|40–50%}} {{legend0|#ae8bb1|50%}} {{legend0|#808080|No votes}}

| title = Secretary of State

| before_election = Steve Hobbs

| before_party = Democratic Party (United States)

| after_election = Steve Hobbs

| after_party = Democratic Party (United States)

}}

The 2024 Washington Secretary of State election was held on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, to elect the Washington Secretary of State, concurrently with the 2024 U.S. presidential election, as well as elections to the U.S. Senate and various state and local elections, including for U.S. House and governor of Washington. Washington is one of two states that holds a top-two primary, meaning that all candidates are listed on the same ballot regardless of party affiliation, and the top two move on to the general election.

Incumbent Democratic Secretary of State Steve Hobbs was appointed to the position in 2021 after the resignation of Kim Wyman. He won a 2022 special election to serve out the remaining two years of Wyman's term and ran for re-election to a full term in 2024. Hobbs won the election decisively against Republican candidate Dale Whitaker.{{Cite web |last=Fortin |first=Daniel |date=2024-11-05 |title=Steve Hobbs wins Washington U.S. Secretary of State race with 59.6% of the vote, NBC reports |url=https://www.nbcrightnow.com/yakima/elections/steve-hobbs-wins-washington-u-s-secretary-of-state-race-with-59-6-of-the/article_14544524-cd2c-5238-8173-152c913213b1.html |access-date=2024-11-08 |website=NonStop Local Tri-Cities/Yakima |language=en}}

Candidates

=Democratic Party=

==Advanced to general==

Steve Hobbs, incumbent secretary of state (2021–present){{Cite web |title=PRIMARY 2024 Candidate List |url=https://voter.votewa.gov/CandidateList.aspx?e=888&_gl=1*1dj7bqv*_ga*MTU1NzA0MzA0MS4xNzE0ODYyOTk2*_ga_7B08VE04WV*MTcxNDg2Mjk5NS4xLjEuMTcxNDg2MzAwMi4wLjAuMA.. |access-date=2024-05-09 |website=voter.votewa.gov}}

==Eliminated in primary==

Marquez Tiggs, graduate student and candidate for secretary of state in 2022

=Republican Party=

==Advanced to general==

Dale Whitaker, tax preparer{{cite news |work=The Spokesman-Review |access-date=April 26, 2024 |author=Dennis, Ellen |date=April 23, 2024 |url=https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2024/apr/23/washington-state-republican-party-endorses-6-candi/ |title=Washington state Republican Party endorses 6 candidates as races for statewide offices heat up}}

==Withdrawn==

Phil Fortunato, state senator for the 31st district (2017–present) and candidate for governor in 2020 (ran for state insurance commissioner)
Bob Hagglund, IT professional and candidate for secretary of state in 2022 (ran for lieutenant governor){{Cite web |title=WA Entry Week 2024: A look at entries in key races from Monday evening |url=https://www.nwprogressive.org/weblog/2024/05/wa-filing-week-2024-a-look-at-whos-filed-in-key-races-as-of-monday-evening.html |author=Villenueve, Andrew |work=The Cascadia Advocate |date=May 6, 2024 |access-date=May 10, 2024}}

==Declined==

Kim Wyman, senior election security advisor for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (2021–present) and former Washington Secretary of State (2013–2021){{cite news |work=MyNorthwest.com |date=March 13, 2024 |access-date=April 17, 2024 |author=Kaczaraba, Bill |url=https://mynorthwest.com/3954472/is-former-secy-of-state-kim-wyman-running-for-that-same-office-again/ |title=Is ex-Secretary of State Kim Wyman running for that office again?}}

=No Labels=

==Eliminated in primary==

Damon Townsend, election operations consultant

Primary election

= Endorsements =

{{Endorsements box

| title = Steve Hobbs (D)

| width = 50em

| list =

Newspapers

The Stranger{{Cite web |date=2024-07-31 |title=The Stranger’s Endorsements for the August, 6, 2024 Primary Election |url=https://www.thestranger.com/summer-issue-2024/2024/07/15/79599264/the-strangers-endorsements-for-the-august-6-2024-primary-election}}

}}

{{Endorsements box

| title = Dale Whitaker (R)

| width = 50em

| list =

Political parties

Washington State Republican Party

}}

= Polling =

class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;text-align:center;"

valign=bottom

! Poll source

! Date(s)
administered

! Sample
size{{efn|name="Key"|Key:
A – all adults
RV – registered voters
LV – likely voters
V – unclear}}

! Margin
{{nowrap|of error}}

! style="width:100px;" | Steve
{{Nowrap|Hobbs (D)}}

! style="width:100px;" | Marquez
{{nowrap|Tiggs (D)}}

! style="width:100px;" | Damon
{{nowrap|Townsend (NL)}}

! style="width:100px;" | Dale
{{nowrap|Whitaker (R)}}

!Undecided

style="text-align:left;" |Public Policy Polling (D)[https://www.nwprogressive.org/weblog/2024/08/democrat-steve-hobbs-republican-dale-whitaker-poised-to-advance-in-2024-secretary-of-state-contest.html Public Policy Polling (D)]{{efn-ua|Poll sponsored by the Northwest Progressive Institute|name=NPI}}

|July 24–25, 2024

|581 (LV)

|± 4.0%

|{{party shading/Democratic}} |23%

|7%

|5%

|{{party shading/Republican}} |30%

|{{party shading/Undecided}} |35%

= Results =

[[File:2024 Washington Secretary of State election primary.svg|thumb|250x250px|Blanket primary results by county

{{collapsible list

| title = {{legend|#8da9e2|Hobbs}}|{{legend|#b4c7ec|40–50%}}|{{legend|#8da9e2|50–60%}}|{{legend|#678cd7|60–70%}}

}}

{{collapsible list

| title = {{legend|#ed8783|Whitaker}}|{{legend|#f1b4b2|40–50%}}|{{legend|#ed8783|50–60%}}|{{legend|#e55651|60–70%}}|{{legend|#d02923|70–80%}}

}}

]]

{{Election box begin no change|title=Blanket primary election results{{cite web |title=Certification of Results |url=https://www.sos.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2024-08/Certification%20of%20Results%20-%202024%20Primary.pdf |website=Washington Secretary of State}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Steve Hobbs (incumbent)|votes=930,533|percentage=48.38%}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Dale Whitaker|votes=709,046|percentage=36.87%}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Marquez Tiggs|votes=185,628|percentage=9.65%}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=No Labels|candidate=Damon Townsend|votes=96,586|percentage=5.02%}}

{{Election box write-in with party link no change|votes=1,534|percentage=0.08%}}

{{Election box total no change|votes=1,923,327|percentage=100.0%}}

General election

= Predictions =

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

!Source

!Ranking

!As of

align="left" |Sabato's Crystal Ball{{cite web |last=Jacobson |first=Louis |date=January 31, 2024 |title=This Year's Key Attorney General and Secretary of State Races |url=https://centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/articles/this-years-key-attorney-general-and-secretary-of-state-races/ |work=University of Virginia Center for Politics}}

| {{USRaceRating|Safe|D}}

|January 31, 2024

= Debate =

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" \|+ 2024 Washington Secretary of State debate
scope="col" \| {{abbr\|No.\|Number}} ! scope="col" \| Date ! scope="col" \| Host ! scope="col" \| Moderator ! scope="col" \| Link ! scope="col"\| Democratic ! scope="col"\| Republican
colspan="5" rowspan="2" \|Key: {{Colors\|black\|#90ff90\| P }} Participant {{Colors\|black\|#FFFFDD\| A }} Absent {{Colors\|black\|#ff9090\| N }} Not invited {{Colors\|black\|#CCFFCC\| I }} Invited {{color box\|#f0e68c\|W}} Withdrawn ! scope="col" style="background:{{party color\|Democratic Party (US)}}"\| ! scope="col" style="background:{{party color\|Republican Party (US)}}"\|
scope="col" \| Steve Hobbs ! scope="col" \| Dale Whitaker
1 \| style="white-space:nowrap;" \| Oct. 1, 2024 \| style="white-space:nowrap;" \| League of Women Voters \| style="white-space:nowrap;" \| Mary Coltrane \| style="white-space:nowrap;" \| [https://tvw.org/video/league-of-women-voters-secretary-of-state-debate-2024101066/ TVW] \| {{Yes\|P}} \| {{Yes\|P}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

|+ 2024 Washington Secretary of State debate

scope="col" | {{abbr|No.|Number}}

! scope="col" | Date

! scope="col" | Host

! scope="col" | Moderator

! scope="col" | Link

! scope="col"| Democratic

! scope="col"| Republican

colspan="5" rowspan="2" |Key:
{{Colors|black|#90ff90| P }} Participant {{Colors|black|#FFFFDD| A }} Absent {{Colors|black|#ff9090| N }} Not invited {{Colors|black|#CCFFCC| I }} Invited {{color box|#f0e68c|W}} Withdrawn

! scope="col" style="background:{{party color|Democratic Party (US)}}"|

! scope="col" style="background:{{party color|Republican Party (US)}}"|

scope="col" | Steve Hobbs

! scope="col" | Dale Whitaker

| style="white-space:nowrap;" | Oct. 1, 2024

| style="white-space:nowrap;" | League of Women Voters

| style="white-space:nowrap;" | Mary Coltrane

| style="white-space:nowrap;" | [https://tvw.org/video/league-of-women-voters-secretary-of-state-debate-2024101066/ TVW]

| {{Yes|P}}

= Polling =

class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;text-align:center;"

valign=bottom

! Poll source

! Date(s)
administered

! Sample
size{{efn|name="Key"}}

! Margin
{{nowrap|of error}}

! style="width:100px;" | Steve
{{Nowrap|Hobbs (D)}}

! style="width:100px;" | Dale
{{nowrap|Whitaker (R)}}

!Undecided

style="text-align:left;"|ActiVote[https://www.activote.net/democrats-lead-in-state-level-washington-races/ ActiVote]

|October 3–29, 2024

|400 (LV)

|± 4.9%

|{{party shading/Democratic}}|64%

|36%

|–

style="text-align:left;" |Public Policy Polling (D)[https://www.nwprogressive.org/weblog/2024/10/washingtons-democratic-secretary-of-steve-hobbs-has-a-thirteen-point-lead-over-republican-challenger-dale-whitaker.html Public Policy Polling (D)]{{efn-ua|name=NPI}}

|October 16–17, 2024

|571 (LV)

|± 4.1%

|{{party shading/Democratic}} |47%

|34%

|19%

= Results =

{{Election box begin|title=2024 Washington Secretary of State election{{cite web |title=Official Canvass of the Returns |url=https://www.sos.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2024-12/Official%20Canvass%20of%20the%20Returns%20G2024_%20Certification%2012%2004%202024.pdf |publisher=Secretary of State of Washington |access-date=4 December 2024}}}}{{Election box winning candidate with party link|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Steve Hobbs (incumbent)|votes=2,234,420|percentage=59.20%|change=+9.43%}}{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Dale Whitaker|votes=1,535,977|percentage=40.70%|change=N/A}}{{Election box write-in with party link|votes=3,958|percentage=0.10%|change=–4.30%}}{{Election box total|votes=3,774,355|percentage=100.00%|change=N/A}}

{{Election box hold with party link no swing

| winner = Washington State Democratic Party

}}

== By congressional district ==

Hobbs won seven of 10 congressional districts, with the remaining three going to Whitaker, including one that elected a Democrat.{{cite report |title=2024Gen Results by Congressional District|url=https://www.sos.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2024-12/2024Gen%20Results%20by%20Congressional%20District.pdf|website=sos.wa.gov|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241228094110/https://www.sos.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2024-12/2024Gen%20Results%20by%20Congressional%20District.pdf|archive-date=2024-12-28}}

class=wikitable

! District

! Hobbs

! Whitaker

! Representative

align=center

! {{party shading/Democratic}}|{{ushr|Washington|1|1st}}

| 64%

| 36%

| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Suzan DelBene

align=center

! {{party shading/Democratic}}|{{ushr|Washington|2|2nd}}

| 62%

| 38%

| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Rick Larsen

align=center

! {{party shading/Republican}}|{{ushr|Washington|3|3rd}}

| 49%

| 51%

| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Marie Gluesenkamp Perez

align=center

! {{party shading/Republican}}|{{ushr|Washington|4|4th}}

| 40%

| 60%

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Dan Newhouse

align=center

! rowspan=2 {{party shading/Republican}}|{{ushr|Washington|5|5th}}

| rowspan=2|44%

| rowspan=2|56%

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Cathy McMorris Rodgers (118th Congress)

align=center

| {{party shading/Republican}}|Michael Baumgartner (119th Congress)

align=center

! rowspan=2 {{party shading/Democratic}}|{{ushr|Washington|6|6th}}

| rowspan=2|60%

| rowspan=2|40%

| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Derek Kilmer (118th Congress)

align=center

| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Emily Randall (119th Congress)

align=center

! {{party shading/Democratic}}|{{ushr|Washington|7|7th}}

| 88%

| 12%

| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Pramila Jayapal

align=center

! {{party shading/Democratic}}|{{ushr|Washington|8|8th}}

| 52%

| 48%

| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Kim Schrier

align=center

! {{party shading/Democratic}}|{{ushr|Washington|9|9th}}

| 71%

| 29%

| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Adam Smith

align=center

! {{party shading/Democratic}}|{{ushr|Washington|10|10th}}

| 59%

| 40%

| {{party shading/Democratic}}|Marilyn Strickland

align=center

Notes

Partisan clients

References

Secretary of state

2024

Washington (state)