Secretary of State Wyman certifies historic high-turnout midterm election

OLYMPIA — More voters participated in the 2018 General Election in any Washington state midterm before, according to vote counts certified today by Secretary of State Kim Wyman that totaled 3,133,448 ballots.

Statistics compiled by the Office of Secretary of State show that General Election turnout approached two additional participation records. The 71.83 percent of all registered voters who cast ballots in 2018 nearly topped the midterm record turnout of 71.85 percent set in 1970. Participation by 1,101 more voters would have set a new turnout record.

The total number of votes cast was the third-most in state history, behind only the Presidential Elections of 2016 and 2012. According to U.S. Census Bureau estimates, about 60 percent of the total population of Washingtonians eligible to vote participated in the General Election, which was among the nation’s top participation rates.

“This year’s excellent turnout shows how strongly Washingtonians engaged with the issues and races on the ballot,” Secretary Wyman said. “To continue this trend in future elections, it’s vital to keep voters confident that their voices will be heard. We’ve done a great job creating an accessible and secure election system, but we’re constantly vigilant about the need to build upon those achievements.”

Secretary Wyman added that this year’s successful efforts to register more eligible Washingtonians to vote, which can be done online at MyVote.wa.gov, by mail, or in person at county offices, helped produce the historic vote totals.

“Getting registered is a simple step an adult citizen can take to help decide how government is run,” Secretary Wyman said. “Years of dedicated effort have made voting in Washington convenient and trustworthy. From voting by mail to the comprehensive Voters’ Pamphlet we supply, voters in Washington enjoy the nation’s best resources to learn about and participate in our system. I urge every eligible Washingtonian to register and take part so we can set even more records.”

Washington’s Office of Secretary of State oversees a number of 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 also manages the State Archives and the State Library, documents extraordinary stories in Washington’s history through Legacy Washington, oversees the Combined Fund Drive for charitable giving by state employees, and administers the state’s Address Confidentiality Program to help protect survivors of crime.