Secretary of state stresses civic involvement by voting

OLYMPIA — Kim Wyman loves politics. That is likely why she ran for, and won, the position of Washington state secretary of state.

She said she particularly loves elections, which are a major part of the job.

“It’s the type of profession you either love, or you get out of right away,” Wyman said.

Wyman is one of those people who stuck with the profession. In 1993 she became the Thurston County elections director, where she stayed for more than eight years. In 2001 she became the county auditor, where part of her duties included overseeing county elections.

“It’s everything I like about public service,” she said about overseeing elections. “You’re entrusted with this very, very important task, and people are depending on you to do your job well, and if you do it well no one notices you.”

Wyman was elected secretary of state in 2012. However, she did not begin on a path toward a career in government. While at California State University, Long Beach, Wyman wanted to be an audiologist. Wyman worked at a VA hospital during her senior year of college, which is when she said she realized that is not the field she wanted to go into.

While at college Wyman worked in the Recreation Department in Lakewood, Calif.

“I just loved it, and I loved the public service aspect of working in the city of Lakewood,” said Wyman.

She later received a master’s degree in public administration. She then got a full-time job for the city of Lakewood, where she said she learned how to manage complex organizations.

“I was really blessed when I was young because I found what I was good at and what I enjoyed doing at the same time,” she said. “And it really was just the job that I held to put myself through school that ended up being the link to my career.”

Wyman’s love of politics and elections seems not to have subsided, even when she is not working.

“I enjoy politics in my off-time, because, you know, it’s fun,” she said. Wyman said she enjoys listening to people with different beliefs and having her beliefs challenged.

“That’s what I enjoy about politics, I think is really talking to people who have very different political views and points of view and considering it and then figuring out where you are on that spectrum.”

Wyman also said she enjoys campaigning and helping new candidates with their campaigns.

Civic engagement is a particular focus of Wyman’s. One of her goals is to implement a program so that 17-year-olds can pre-register to vote as part of a history or social studies class or at special registration events.

“For me it’s about getting them to see the connection with civic engagement,” she said.

Wyman said studies show the lowest level of voting participation is seen between the ages 18 and 24.

“Ironically, the one right that they have that’s really important, they don’t tend to exercise,” she said about that age group.

Wyman also promotes political engagement at all age groups.

“This is a great year for anyone who’s interested in politics to be involved in campaigns,” she said.

Wyman cited the presidential primary, happening in Washington state on May 24, and statewide elections as examples of ways people in the state can get involved this year.

For information about elections in the state, registering to vote, the Office of the Secretary of State, and more, visit www.sos.wa.gov.