WA Office of the Secretary of State

Slog AM: The 2025 City Elections Begin, Trump Wants a New Jet, and Hegseth Is Still an Idiot Seattle's only news roundup.

@thestranger.com doesn't mince words

"You know the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library in South Lake Union? That’s part of the Washington State Library system, and financially, they’re screwed."
www.thestranger.com/slog-am/2025...

Layoff notices, threats of closure rattle WA State Library The state library has existed since 1855, but a funding decision by the Legislature could lead it to close to the public. Layoff notices went out to 47 staffers.

Check out the latest write-up about the critical times our state libraries are facing via @seattletimes-rss.bsky.social www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...

The Office of the Secretary of State delivered 47 at-risk of layoff letters over the past two weeks to Washington State Library. Read the full news release here: bit.ly/43b2Vvd

Candidate Filing Week begins on Monday, May 5 at 8 a.m. online and at county elections offices across the state, but mailed declarations are being accepted now. Learn more here: www.sos.wa.gov/about-office...

This is awesome! Thank you for sharing, Professor Bultena ✨🎲

Washington Office of the Secretary of State Honored with Two National Clearinghouse Awards. Read the full news release here: www.sos.wa.gov/about-office...

Person wearing a vest with the logo of the "WA Office of the Secretary of State" smiling at the camera.

Join Secretary Hobbs as he delivers the keynote "Protecting Elections in Times of Crisis: Planning, Response, and Trust," hosted by Partners in Emergency Preparedness. Register to attend for free: bit.ly/4cJsOqv

Image description: Official logo of the Secretary of State of Washington at the top of the image, followed by a quote about the importance of unrestricted access to information through libraries across the state, emphasizing a commitment to education and informed citizenship.

The Washington State Library is at risk of losing personnel, statewide programs, resources for local libraries, and community opportunities as a result of a presidential Executive Order. Read the full news release here: bit.ly/3Ejj49G

Graphic featuring a quote from Secretary of State Steve Hobbs about the importance of voting in special elections, set against a decorative background with circular patterns and the Seal of the State of Washington.

County elections offices throughout Washington have mailed ballots to eligible voters in 23 counties participating in the April 22 Special Election. Read the full news release here: bit.ly/4iZKNv2

Thank you to @secstatewa.bsky.social and @sharlettmena.bsky.social for joining us today.

Attorney General Nick Brown / Secretary of State Steve Hobbs Press Conference - TVW Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown and Secretary of State Steve Hobbs hold a press conference in Seattle to announce a new lawsuit against the Trump

Our mistake; the press conference is at 11:30 a.m. PT. Same link: bit.ly/3DWEklA

Hi, you may have missed it, but this was our response: bsky.app/profile/secs...

Attorney General Nick Brown / Secretary of State Steve Hobbs Press Conference - TVW Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown and Secretary of State Steve Hobbs hold a press conference in Seattle to announce a new lawsuit against the Trump

At 11 a.m. PT, Secretary Steve Hobbs and Attorney General Nick Brown will hold a press conference announcing a new lawsuit against the Trump Administration. Watch live on TVW: bit.ly/3DWEklA

Washington voters! April’s special election is right around the corner. Here are the important dates you need to remember!
Not everyone gets a ballot - visit VoteWA.gov to see if you’re eligible!

JK, none of these things happened! But we all know "the lore" is more fun than saying, "Our social media person was thinking ahead and in the summer of 2023, got an invite to @bsky.app, claimed the handle, sat on it for a bit, and well ... the rest is history!"

Bad Photoshop of a Secretary Hobbs in a captain's hat standing in a small boat on turbulent ocean waves, with a lighthouse in the background under a sunny sky.

The Sea Shanty: There once was a team by Cap Lake's shore/Who watched the bird app crash and roar/With Hobbs at helm/They sailed away from digital stress/Soon may the Bluesky come/With fresher vibes and cooler fun/When trolls are gone and posts are chill/We'll sail new skies – we've had our fill!

Sec. Hobbs parachuting with a vibrant orange and red parachute against a blue sky with fluffy clouds and a colorful rainbow in the background.

The Curious Leap: We all know Secretary Hobbs is in the WA National Guard, right? We did hear that during a drill weekend, he had a super-duper-crazy-out-of-this-world idea to parachute over the Bluesky, seeking a new way to be equally fun and informative.

Secretary Hobbs is sitting on the large word "SKY" written in blue, smiling with his arms around his raised knees.

The Chill Theory: Others say Secretary Hobbs wanted to relax, chill, take in the vibes, and sit upon a Bluesky. A Cheshire cat in a nearby tree thought it was a good idea.

The bad Photoshop of Secretary Hobbs in a suit joyfully falling onto a cloud, with a broken egg graphic above, is set against a blue sky with light clouds.

The Egg Story: Some say when the bird app went "bye-bye," a giant eagle hatched from Sec. Hobbs' most recent Dungeons & Dragons campaign and scooped up him and his office, dropping them into Bluesky and better times.

a man is sitting at a table with the words " where do i even begin " written below him Alt: a man is sitting at a table with the words " where do i even begin " written below him

Today seems like a good day to tell our Bluesky origin story, or as our Gen-Z intern likes to say, "the lore."

So, sit back and enjoy the OSOS Bluesky origin story: a slightly unhinged thread 🧵

Hi, We are the Washington State Office of the Secretary of State (located in the Pacific Northwest). We are not the Federal government, U.S. Department of State, or U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Did you miss Secretary Hobbs' interview with Joyce Taylor at King 5? No worries! You can watch it now or later, but preferably now: www.king5.com/video/news/p...

An official quote from Secretary of State Steve Hobbs regarding an executive order, displayed on a blue background with the office seal at the top.

Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs issued the following statement on the recent Presidential Executive Order pertaining to elections, announced March 25, 2025. Read the full statement here: bit.ly/42keIYU

🙏

Hi, We are the Washington State Office of the Secretary of State (located in the Pacific Northwest). We are not affiliated with the Federal Government, U.S. Department of State, or U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Hi, We are the Washington State Office of the Secretary of State (located in the Pacific Northwest). We are not affiliated with the Federal Government, U.S. Department of State, or U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Hi, We are the Washington State Office of the Secretary of State (located in the Pacific Northwest). We are not affiliated with the Federal Government, U.S. Department of State or U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.