NEWS

(OLYMPIA)– On Monday, Sept. 8, the Office of the Secretary of State (OSOS) received a letter from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) requesting a full copy of the Washington state Voter Registration Database within 14 days. The office is assessing the request signed by Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, according to a news release from the Office of the Secretary of State. The request specifies that the copy must include the registrant’s full name, date of birth, residential address, and state driver’s license number or the last four digits of the registrant’s Social Security number. Similar requests     (read more)

(SKAGIT COUNTY)- The Skagit Board of County Commissioners (Board) is convening a temporary technical advisory group (TAG) to evaluate and recommend options for replacement of the Guemes Island ferry. Since 2013, Skagit County has been studying options for replacement of the Guemes Island ferry as it has become overly burdensome to continue maintaining the current vessel. The TAG will consider previous ferry replacement studies and designs, including the all-electric ferry proposal, along with the results of the value engineering study conducted by Skagit County Public Works and a third-party consultant, to recommend replacement or refurbishment strategies for the Guemes Island     (read more)

(NORTHWEST WASHINGTON)- A significant drop in home mortgage rates is positive for both buyers and sellers, according to a leading Northwest Washington real-estate broker. According to Mortgage News Daily, the average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage dropped 16 basis points to 6.29% on Friday, Sept. 5, following the release of an August employment report that was weaker than expected. The 30-year fixed rate has been gradually declining since hitting a peak of 7.08% in May. “Mortgage rates are now hovering right around the low 6% range,” said Kena Brashear, co-owner and designated broker for The Muljat Group in Bellingham in a news release. �     (read more)

(OLYMPIA)– The Office of the Secretary of State (OSOS) announced on Tuesday, Sept. 9, that it will fund Multi-State Information Sharing & Analysis Center (MS-ISAC) membership costs for all 39 county auditors and elections offices. The MS-ISAC is a trusted cybersecurity partner to over 18,000 state, local, tribal, and territorial government organizations who offer low-cost cybersecurity tools. Membership provides counties access to cyber threat intelligence, incident response support, and real-time information sharing – services that will help further protect county elections infrastructure, according to a news release from the Office of the Secretary of State. “Protecting election security at the local level where our elections     (read more)

(MOUNT VERNON)- Skagit Valley College (SVC) has announced that SVC instructor, Sunaina Virendra, has been selected as a fellow in the Northwest Accreditation Commission’s Higher Education Leadership and Innovation Fellowship for 2025-26. Virendra serves as department chair for the college’s applied bachelor’s programs in management and healthcare management, according to a news release from SVC. This prestigious fellowship recognizes outstanding leadership and dedication to higher education. The fellowship supports higher education leaders in developing and implementing initiatives that enhance institutional effectiveness, promote student success, and foster sustainable academic programming. Fellows engage in collaborative research and strategic     (read more)