Candidate Filing Week 2024 begins May 6

by JOEL MARTIN
Staff Writer | April 23, 2024 5:32 PM

OLYMPIA — Citizens who want to run for public office in Washington will have their chance in early May, according to an announcement from the Washington Secretary of State’s office.

The opportunity to declare candidacy formally for the 2024 elections opens May 6 at 8 a.m. online and at elections offices across the state, according to the announcement. Mailed declarations are being accepted now and must be received with payment no later than 5 p.m. on May 10, when filing week ends.

During the May 6-10 filing period, candidacies can be declared for more than 400 federal, state, judicial, legislative, county and other offices scheduled for 2024 elections, according to the announcement. All statewide executive offices, all congressional seats, a U.S. Senate position, and the majority of state Legislature seats will be on the ballot. This year for the first time, candidates for Superior Court and all legislative districts must file with the Office of the Secretary of State, which can be done via the office’s website, by mail, or in person.

Full information on state offices and filing fees can be found at the Office of the Secretary of State’s Elections website. Applicants are encouraged to file online if possible, the announcement said.

“Filing for candidacy online is the easiest option, and you can do it from the convenience of home,” Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs wrote in the announcement. “This year, the candidate filing period is a week earlier than in prior years, so we’re providing notice to the public early to ensure everyone interested in running can get prepared.”

Applicants who do not wish to file online can print a Declaration of Candidacy form and mail it along with a check payable to the Office of the Secretary of State, P.O. Box 40229, Olympia, WA, 98504-0229. State candidates may also file in person at the Secretary of State’s office in the Legislative Building, 416 Sid Snyder Ave. SW in Olympia.

All candidates for federal, statewide, legislative, Court of Appeals, and Superior Court positions must file with the Office of the Secretary of State online, in person, or by mail, according to the announcement. For filing questions, contact the Elections office at (800) 448-4881 or elections@sos.wa.gov.

“Serving as an elected official is an opportunity to help your community,” Hobbs wrote. “Holding office enables you to be involved with crucial decisions, whether at the local, state, or federal level.”