Opinion: Election prep – Secretary of state and auditor

Nancy Churchill discusses the upcoming statewide races for Secretary of State and State Auditor, highlighting candidates Dale Whitaker and Matt Hawkins.

With five weeks until ballots arrive, Nancy Churchill takes a look at two statewide races

Nancy Churchill
Dangerous Rhetoric

Since Washington state is a vote-by-mail state, our voting period for the 2024 general election begins on October 18, and continues to November 5. We now have five weeks until ballots are mailed to the voters. By the way, if you receive a ballot at your address that does NOT belong to your household, please DO NOT throw it away! Return the ballot to the auditor’s office so that they can start the process of removing the voter or updating his or her voter profile. It may take several elections, so just keep returning them as necessary.

In today’s column, we’re going to look at the offices of Secretary of State and State Auditor. Based on the primary returns, it’s going to be a long shot for Republicans to win these races, not because our candidates are not highly qualified, but because we’ll need the help of independent voters and moderate Democrats who are tired of the mess that one-party rule is making of our beautiful state. You can help by sharing this information with your friends who are ready for a change of political power in Washington state.

What is the job of the Secretary of State?

According to the Secretary of State website (bit.ly/3Xqx9ry), “The Secretary of State is the state’s chief elections officer, chief corporations officer and supervisor of the State Archives.” The responsibilities of the office include supervising elections, registering voters and maintaining voter rolls, producing and delivering voter pamphlets, and certifying the results of elections. The Secretary of State is also responsible for filing and verifying initiatives and referendums. Private corporations and charitable organizations also register with the Secretary of State.

The office is also responsible for collecting and preserving the historical records of the state, as well as making the records available for research. In addition to the state archive, the state library is also part of the Secretary of State’s office. Finally, the Secretary of State is often called upon to represent Washington in international trade missions and to meet with delegations visiting Washington from other countries.

Dale Whitaker for Secretary of State

Incumbent Steve Hobbs (D) is running against Republican Dale Whitaker for Secretary of State. Like Dan Matthews, who we learned about last week, Whitaker is another candidate who is new to politics. That is a positive for those who distrust candidates who have had a long political career, like Hobbs. Unfortunately, it is harder for voters to get to know new candidates, because they’re just learning how to run for office and how to fundraise effectively.

Whitaker’s campaign website (bit.ly/3XLzPRV) states “Dale Whitaker is dedicated to ensuring that Washington’s elections are secure, transparent, and accessible to all. With a deep understanding of the challenges facing our electoral system, he brings a unique perspective as a small business owner and an engaged community member.”

If your top concern is election integrity, Whitaker is your top choice. His website states that “election transparency is election integrity,” and “it ensures that every vote cast is a vote counted, without ambiguity or distrust in the technology and processes used.”

His platform priorities state that he will work to enhance election security, increase transparency, and improve accessibility. He also wants to embrace innovation and improve the technology used for voting. For small business owners, Whitaker wants to lower the cost of doing business by “cutting red tape and reducing startup costs to ensure opening a small business is easy and affordable.” Please support Dale Whitaker for Secretary of State.

What is the job of the State Auditor?

The state auditor’s website (bit.ly/3ZskVBo) explains that “The State Auditor’s Office (SAO) provides citizens with independent and transparent examinations of how state and local governments use public funds, and develops strategies to make government more efficient and effective.” These audits look at the financial information of all local governments, including schools, state agencies, and libraries. An audit will make sure that the entity’s accounting practices and use of funds are in compliance with state, federal, and local laws. The auditor’s office can also conduct special audits of suspected fraud and whistleblower cases.

Matt Hawkins for Auditor

Republican Matt Hawkins is running against incumbent Democrat Pat McCarthy for State Auditor. Hawkins is an active Republican volunteer and is the state committeeman for the Spokane Republican party. According to his website (bit.ly/4eqfXt6), “Matt has 40 years of work experience in various industries, from commercial & investment real estate to investment banking and private business ownership. Matt will be able take his personal knowledge of how to manage a business effectively – and apply it to the Auditor position to drive improvements by cutting wasteful spending by Washington State government agencies while saving taxpayers millions of dollars.”

The website continues, “Audits begin with a question, which then extends to a search for the truth. When done correctly, the citizens of Washington State will gain confidence in knowing that funds and resources are being properly used to the benefit of the citizenry. As Washington State’s next Auditor, Matt Hawkins will have the opportunity to restore Transparent process to Government by being the eyes and ears of ‘We the People.’”

I urge you to support Matt Hawkins to “restore a more transparent and honest government.”

In closing, if you have the financial resources, I encourage you to make a donation to both of these campaigns at their websites. If you don’t have the ability to donate, then check with your local Republican party and find a way to volunteer. If we don’t support new Republican candidates, then we don’t have a good chance to fix what’s broken in Washington state politics. It will take all of us working together to change hearts and minds and win elections.

Nancy Churchill is a writer and educator in rural eastern Washington State, and the state committeewoman for the Ferry County Republican Party. She may be reached at DangerousRhetoric@pm.me. The opinions expressed in Dangerous Rhetoric are her own. Dangerous Rhetoric is available on thinkspot, Rumble and Substack.

1) Office of the Secretary of State, https://bit.ly/3Xqx9ry
2) Dale Whitaker for Secretary of State, https://bit.ly/3XLzPRV
3) Office of the State Auditor, https://bit.ly/3ZskVBo,4) Matt Hawkins for Auditor, https://bit.ly/4eqfXt6