2022 Washington Secretary of State special election
The 2022 Washington Secretary of State special election was held on November 8, 2022. Incumbent Kim Wyman, a Republican, resigned from the office on November 19, 2021, to become the senior election security lead for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency in the Biden administration's Department of Homeland Security. Washington governor Jay Inslee, a Democrat, announced he would appoint state senator Steve Hobbs as her replacement, the first Democrat to hold the office in more than fifty years.
In the primary election, Hobbs easily took first place. The race for the second spot in the general election was a close three-way battle between state senator Keith Wagoner and technician Bob Hagglund, both Republicans, and Pierce County Auditor Julie Anderson, an Independent. After a week of tabulation, Anderson was declared to have won second place and moved on to the general election. Brad Klippert, a Republican state representative, ran a write-in campaign in the general election.
Hobbs narrowly won the general election with 49.8% of the vote, over 7% less than the vote share won by Patty Murray in the concurrent Senate race. This marked the first time since 1960 that a Democrat was elected Washington Secretary of State.
Primary election
Democratic Party
Declared
- Steve Hobbs, incumbent Washington Secretary of State
- Marquez Tiggs
Republican Party
Declared
- Tamborine Borrelli, director of the Washington Election Integrity Coalition United and Independent candidate for in 2018
- Bob Hagglund, technician
- Mark Miloscia, former state senator
- Keith Wagoner, state senator
Independents and third parties
Declared
- Julie Anderson, Pierce County auditor
- Kurtis Engle
General election
Candidates
- Julie Anderson, Pierce County Auditor
- Steve Hobbs, incumbent Secretary of State
- Brad Klippert, state representative, candidate for U.S. Senate in 2004 and 2006, and candidate for Washington's 4th congressional district in 2022
Debates
A debate was scheduled for October 18 at the University of Puget Sound, but it was canceled.Endorsements
Endorsements in bold were made after the primary election.Results
By congressional district
Despite losing the state, Anderson won six of ten congressional districts, including four that elected Democrats and two that elected Republicans.| District | Hobbs | Anderson | Representative |
| 55% | 41% | Suzan DelBene | |
| 51% | 43% | Rick Larsen | |
| 42% | 53% | Jaime Herrera Beutler | |
| 42% | 53% | Marie Gluesenkamp Perez | |
| 32% | 59% | Dan Newhouse | |
| 38% | 55% | Cathy McMorris Rodgers | |
| 47% | 49% | Derek Kilmer | |
| 75% | 24% | Pramila Jayapal | |
| 44% | 51% | Kim Schrier | |
| 62% | 35% | Adam Smith | |
| 46% | 50% | Marilyn Strickland |