Democratic State Senator Steve Hobbs Will Be Washington's New Secretary Of State

OLYMPIA, WA — Washington's next Secretary of State will be Steve Hobbs, Gov. Jay Inslee announced Tuesday. State Sen. Hobbs (D-Lake Stevens) has represented the 44th Legislative District in the state Senate since 2007, Inslee's office said. Before that he served for more than 32 years in the U.S. Army, enlisting as a private before working his way up to Lt. Colonel in tours of Kosovo and Iraq.

Inslee says he expects Hobbs to be a worthy successor to outgoing Secretary of State Kim Wyman, and is entrusting Hobbs to protect the integrity of Washington's elections and safeguard vital government records, among other duties.

“Steve is a dedicated public servant. He has a strong national security perspective from his work in the Army and National Guard. His knowledge of cyber-security will be crucial as election systems around the country continue to face threats,” Inslee said. “Importantly, Steve has demonstrated political independence. That is crucial during this time of political polarization and distrust. He is a moderate who has worked effectively with people of all political perspectives. He is not afraid to challenge both Democrats and Republicans. Steve has worked to protect democracy and will continue that noble pursuit as Secretary of State.”

As Crosscut's Melissa Santos first reported, the appointment marks the first time a Democrat has held the position in nearly six decades. Hobbs, an Asian-American, is also the first person of color to ever serve as Washington's Secretary of State.

Current Secretary of State Kim Wyman announced in late September that she was vacating the position to join the Biden Administration's Department of Homeland Security as the Senior Election Security Lead for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

Wyman is widely considered an expert on mail-in ballots and voting security. Her biography at the Secretary of State's Office also notes that she "often shares Washington's award-winning, innovative election administration and cybersecurity practices with organizations across the country" and that she lead the office as it "modernize[d] and secure[d] the state's election infrastructure."

Wyman is also the last Republican to hold statewide office in Washington. While Inslee is appointing a Democrat as her replacement, his announcement Monday emphasized Hobb's history of bipartisan action — as did a statement from Wyman herself.

“As a state senator, Steve has a demonstrated record of seeking bipartisan solutions to complex problems, which is essential to the position of secretary of state. It is imperative the secretary of state — the state’s chief elections official — serve as a neutral arbiter in order to inspire confidence across the political spectrum in our election processes and results,” Wyman said. “This approach is just as essential when overseeing the preservation of and access to our state’s historical treasures, providing a streamlined registration process for Washington corporations and charities, administering various community programs, and so much more.”

Wyman's resignation is effective Nov. 19.

Inslee's appointment will go into effect Monday, Nov. 22. Hobbs will hold the position through November 2022, when a statewide special election will determine who will hold Wyman's position for the final two years of her term. Meanwhile, Snohomish County will be tasked with finding a replacement for Hobbs in the state legislature.

This is a breaking news story, check back in the future for more updates.