Washington Secretary of State Hobbs Unveils Enhanced Voter Experience with Updated VoteWA Website

OLYMPIA – This morning, the Office of the Secretary of State introduced a revamped user experience for Washington residents at VoteWA.gov. The updated website features a fresh look, user-informed navigation, and additional accessibility features, all aimed at facilitating a seamless experience for voters as they access crucial information.

Secretary of State Steve Hobbs expressed his satisfaction with the enhanced website, stating, “VoteWA’s new intuitive design reflects our commitment to providing excellent service to Washingtonians both in person and online. Voters will find it much easier to get the information and services they need with one quick visit to the improved VoteWA.gov.”

Key attributes of the updated portal include:

• Compatibility with screen readers and other adaptive or assistive technology tools
• Responsive interface and interaction design for mobile users
• Improved notifications for messages from county elections offices that may require voter action

To achieve this upgrade, the Office of the Secretary of State collaborated with Anthro-Tech, Inc., a design consultancy firm based in Olympia. Anthro-Tech conducted a statewide usability study of the original site, working closely with state and local elections officials to ensure the new voter portal prioritizes usability and accessibility.

Launched in 2019, VoteWA.gov empowers election officials across Washington’s 39 counties to manage voter registration data for more than 4.8 million registered voters. It also facilitates the issuance, tracking, and processing of ballots in real-time. VoteWA is a vital platform, providing access and security essential for Same-Day Registration, Automatic Voter Registration, and the Future Voter program.

Washington’s Office of the Secretary of State oversees various aspects within state government, including managing state elections, registering corporations and charities, and governing the use of the state flag and state seal. The office is also responsible for managing the State Archives and the State Library, documenting extraordinary stories in Washington’s history through Legacy Washington, overseeing the Combined Fund Drive for charitable giving by state employees, and administering the state’s Address Confidentiality Program to help protect survivors of crime.