OLYMPIA — Candidate Filing Week begins on Monday, May 4 at 8 a.m. and at county elections offices across the state, but mailed declarations are being accepted now. Declarations of Candidacy and full payment must be received by 5 p.m. on Friday, May 8.
During the filing period, eligible Washingtonians can declare candidacy for over 16,700 seats ranging from precinct committee officers to seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Candidates can register online, by mail, or in person through the Office of the Secretary of State for any of the 155 federal and state offices.
In addition to the 10 races for seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, eligible individuals have the opportunity to declare candidacy for seats in the Washington State Legislature. This year, 24 seats in the Senate and all 98 seats in the House of Representatives are up for election.
All other candidates file through the county elections office that position resides in. Applicants are encouraged to file online. Complete information about open offices and filing fees is available on the Office of the Secretary of State’s Elections website.
“Running for office at the local, state, or federal level is an opportunity to make a direct difference in your communities,” Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said. “Online filing makes declaring candidacy easier and more accessible than ever for all interested Washingtonians.”
Applicants filing by mail can print a Declaration of Candidacy form and mail it along with a check payable to the Office of the Secretary of State, P.O. Box 40229, Olympia, WA 98504-0229. State candidates also have the option of filing in person between May 4 and May 8 at the Legislative Building, located at 416 Sid Snyder Ave. SW in Olympia.
Filing information and state Voters’ Pamphlet guidelines are available online in the State Candidate Guide. A complete list of FAQs and deadlines is available on the Candidate Filing FAQ page.
For filing questions, contact the Elections office at (800) 448-4881 or [email protected].
Washington’s Office of the Secretary of State oversees 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 operates the State Archives and the State Library, documents extraordinary stories in Washington’s history through Legacy Washington, and administers the Combined Fund Drive for charitable giving by state employees and the Productivity Board state employee suggestion program. The Secretary of State oversees the state’s Address Confidentiality Program to help protect survivors of crime and the Civic Engagement Program to increase governmental trust and participation for all Washingtonians.