Steve Hobbs sworn in as Washington secretary of state

OLYMPIA – State Sen. Steve Hobbs (D-Lake Stevens) was sworn in Monday, Nov. 22 as Washington’s 16th secretary of state. He replaces Kim Wyman, who resigned mid-term to join the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

During brief remarks, Hobbs pledged to continue enhancing the integrity of Washington’s elections, including efforts to quickly respond to election-related mis- and disinformation.

“As secretary of state, it is my duty to instill confidence in Washington’s electorate that our elections system maintains a strong security posture heading into the 2022 midterms,” he said. “Part of that effort is acting quickly on false information about our elections system and providing the public with verified information from trusted sources.”

A video of Hobbs’s swearing-in ceremony is available on TVW’s website.

Hobbs served in the U.S. Army for more than 32 years and is currently a lieutenant colonel in the Washington State National Guard. Prior to his appointment as secretary of state, Hobbs was the state senator for Washington’s 44th legislative district, having first been elected in 2006. During his tenure he served as chair of the Transportation Committee, and was a member of the Financial Institutions, Economic Development & Trade, and Environment, Energy and Technology committees.

Washington’s Office of the Secretary of State oversees a number of areas within state government, including managing state elections, registering corporations and charities, and governing the use of the state flag and state seal. The office also manages the State Archives and the State Library, documents extraordinary stories in Washington’s history through Legacy Washington, oversees the Combined Fund Drive for charitable giving by state employees, and administers the state’s Address Confidentiality Program to help protect survivors of crime.