How might elections in WA change in the future? Secretary of State candidates have ideas
Budget changes, election metrics, in-person assistance and voter ID were just some of the ideas floated for changes to the Washington election system by Secretary of State candidates Thursday as they participated in a candidate forum.
The League of Women Voters hosted the event Thursday evening. Laurel Demkovich, Capitol bureau reporter for the Spokesman-Review in Spokane, moderated the forum.
Only five of the eight candidates who will appear on the Aug. 2 primary ballot participated in the event: non-partisan candidate Julie Anderson, Republicans Bob Hagglund and Mark Miloscia, incumbent Democrat Steve Hobbs, and Democrat Marquez Tiggs.
In response to a question about what changes candidates would like to make to the current Washington election system, Hobbs, a former state Senator, said his changes would be “budgetary.” Next year, if elected, he said he would like to send out response teams for misinformation or cyber issues in smaller counties if they need help, for example. Hobbs also thinks county reviews should be conducted every three years instead of five years so that reviews could be completed before presidential elections.
Miloscia, who served as a Senator for Federal Way until 2019, said his vision of the agency is to have the most secure election systems in all 50 states. Quality and fraud units would be funded for county auditors to “reduce all errors,” and loopholes would be closed prior to elections, he said. He said a scorecard of metrics would also be kept to report on the election system, but Miloscia did not elaborate on how the process would work.
Anderson, auditor for Pierce County, said she would like to upscale the system in Pierce County where libraries provide assistance on election day, which she said would eliminate barriers for people who need extra help. Statewide “risk-limiting” audits would be employed to not only test the security of elections but to also provide transparency. Additionally, she wants alternatives to signatures on ballots and would like to rely more heavily on technology as a way to verify voters’ identities.
Hagglund is making this topic one of his top issues, as his website notes that his top listed agenda items as Secretary of State are “every citizen who can legally vote can easily vote” and “people who legally cannot vote do not vote.”
During the forum, Hagglund said he wants to expand on the idea of a “universal ID” that wouldn’t cost any money to cardholders. He said he also believes it would encourage more people to vote.
Tiggs said he wouldn’t make any major changes since whoever is elected will only serve out the remaining two years of the term vacated by Kim Wyman. Instead, he would focus on “enhancing in-person voting stations,” building trust with voters and holding county auditors “accountable.”
Candidates also were asked whether they believe there are opportunities for voter fraud in the state.
Anderson said that while there are opportunities for fraud, Washington has a good system for catching it. The verification process prior to getting ballots and after they are cast already works, she said. Hobbs agreed with Anderson’s assessment.
Hagglund again hammered on the idea of some type of voter ID for mail-in ballots, as he believes there is “no way to prove” who submits them. Tiggs supported Hagglund’s proposal for voter ID as well as increasing the opportunity for in-person voting.
Three other Secretary of State candidates did not participate in the forum, although all were invited: Union Party member Kurtis Engle, America First Republican Tamborine Borrelli, and current Washington State Sen. Keith Wagoner, R-Sedro Woolley.
Engle, an independent, has not raised any money in his campaign. Borrelli has so far raised $47,632 with two of her biggest donations coming from Doug Basler, a Republican candidate from Spokane for the 9th Congressional District, and his wife Lori. Wagoner’s campaign has raised $37,648, with some of his biggest contributions coming from groups such as the Skagit County GOP and the Equal Opportunity PAC.
Hobbs, on the other hand, is far surpassing his opponents in campaign donations with $392,974 in funding so far. Anderson is trailing Hobbs with $159,745.
Miloscia has $57,955 in contributions while Hagglund has $10,745 so far.
Tiggs has so far had no contributions but explained during the forum that he understands families are struggling right now, therefore he’s not asking for any endorsements or campaign contributions.
The Secretary of State earns a salary of $136,996 per year.
Wyman, Washington’s former Republican Secretary of State, left her elected position in 2021 to work for President Joe Biden’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency as the senior election security adviser.
Hobbs was appointed by Gov. Jay Inslee to Wyman’s position, which she was re-elected to for a third term in 2020. The fall election will elect the next candidate to the position until the 2024 elections.
Only the top two vote-getters, regardless of party, will advance to the general election on Nov. 8 after the Aug. 2 primary election.
Thurday night’s full forum can be found on TVW’s website.
This story was originally published July 15, 2022 at 11:34 AM.
