Candidates certified for Washington's August 6 primary election

OLYMPIA - The Office of the Secretary of State has officially certified candidates for Washington's upcoming August 6 Primary election. The certification took place on Tuesday in the Legislative Building, with Assistant Secretary of State Kevin McMahan overseeing the distribution of candidate information to county elections offices.

More than 1,000 individuals filed their candidacy for various offices at the federal, state, judicial, legislative, county, and other levels. Candidates had the option to file online, by mail, or in person.

The race for Washington state governor attracted the highest number of candidates, with 28 individuals vying for the position. At the county level, the Charter Review Commission - District No. 2 in Whatcom County saw 15 candidates file for the role.

Candidates running for state office have until 5 p.m. on May 21 to submit their information for inclusion in the statewide Voters' Pamphlet. In partisan public office races, the top two finishers in the Primary will move on to the November 5 General Election.

"Filing for candidacy is a crucial step in our democratic process," stated Assistant Secretary McMahan. "Washington's free and fair elections provide equitable opportunities to compete for the chance to support communities statewide."

Eligible voters can expect to receive their ballots for the August 6 Primary by July 19. Drop boxes and Accessible Voting Units at voting centers will also open on this date. To participate in the Primary, online and mail registrations must be received no later than July 29. In-person registration and updates to existing registrations can be made up until 8 p.m. on Election Day, August 6.

As mandated by RCW 29A.36.131, ballot positions for the Primary were determined by random draw on May 10. A complete list of certified candidates is available on the Office of the Secretary of State's website.