Secretary of State
Election Results
| Candidate | Votes | Pct |
|---|---|---|
| Kim Wyman (R) | 1,368,612 | 50.66% |
| Kathleen Drew (D) | 1,332,842 | 49.34% |
* Race percentages are calculated with data from the Secretary of State's Office, which omits write-in votes from its calculations when there are too few to affect the outcome. The Spokane County Auditor's Office may have slightly different percentages than are reflected here because its figures include any write-in votes.
About the Race
The looming retirement of incumbent Sam Reed has set up a race for the open seat between Democrat Kathleen Drew and Republican Kim Wyman, both from the Olympia area. They emerged from a crowded primary field. The secretary of state oversees corporate registration, charities, trademarks, archives and the state library, but the most public duty is as Washington’s top elections official. The position pays $116,950 per year plus health care and other benefits.
The Candidates
Kim Wyman
- Party:
- Republican
- Age:
- 62
- City:
- Snohomish, Washington
Education: Graduated from Lakewood High School in 1980. Received her bachelor's degree in communicative disorders in 1985 from California State University. Received her master's degree in public administration from Troy State University in 1990.
Political experience: Elected secretary of state in 2012 and 2016; served as Thurston County auditor 2001-2013;
Work experience: Former Thurston County elections manager and assistant records manager; former U.S. Army civilian training specialist; serves on board of several nonprofit organizations.
Family: Married to John Wyman. Has two children.
Complete Coverage
Spin Control: Waiting for election results doesn’t harm anyone
A familiar post-election refrain, as predictable as swallows returning to Capistrano or Cougar fans pinning their Apple Cup hopes on bad weather in Pullman, sounded last week. The amount of time Washington takes to count its ballots and settle elections predictably irked several politicians. The Secretary of State-elect Kim Wyman, Washington’s election chief in waiting, wants to require all ballots to be in elections officials’ hands by Election Day. State Sen. Randi Becker, R-Eatonville, said she’d introduce legislation to do just that.
Wyman will be next secretary of state
SEATTLE – The Democratic candidate for secretary of state conceded Saturday, making Kim Wyman Washington’s next top election officer and the only Republican to win a statewide election this year. In turn, Democrat Kathleen Drew came close to breaking a Republican grip on the secretary of state’s office. Democrats have not produced a secretary of state in nearly 50 years.
Same-sex marriage backers celebrate
With ballot counts continuing around Washington, supporters of same-sex marriage claimed victory Wednesday, saying their projections convince them Referendum 74 will pass. While they collected congratulations from the measure’s chief backers in the state Capitol, opponents said they weren’t ready to concede that Washington would join the small but growing list of states that allow same-sex marriage.