Washington Secretary of State responds to President Trump’s July 16 nationally televised address

As expected, the information presented yesterday does not change the fact that claims of widespread election fraud have been repeatedly disproven.  

What we heard last night sounds like concern about election security, when in fact this administration has dismantled the critical federal cybersecurity programs that support our elections.  

We have been aware of and responding to foreign nation-state attempts on our election systems since before the 2016 general election. In the past year, cuts to federal programs supporting state election security have created gaps in federal and state election security coordination. In the worst-case scenario, sustaining cybersecurity support for our office and all 39 Washington counties will require $3 million annually.  

The federal administration has also attempted to condition elections funding on states meeting new and unfounded election requirements. Conditioning funding is an unwarranted delay to receive federal support for preventing, protecting against, or responding to known and documented acts of terrorism and other threats. 

At the same time, the administration is pushing states to participate in the SAVE system, which is demonstrably unreliable and inaccurate. A U.S. District Court ruled June 25 that it is no longer authorized for use.  

Protecting the integrity of our elections includes protecting voters’ private info. Under Washington state law, the last four digits of an individual’s Social Security number, driver’s license number, and full date of birth are protected. Any state or local election officer who discloses this private voter information may be charged with a class C felony. We do not release voters’ protected information – despite receiving unlawful demands from the DOJ.   

Election officials take voter eligibility and fraud seriously and investigate every allegation. While questions may arise following last night’s address, Washington has well-established processes for maintaining accurate voter rolls and protecting the integrity of our elections. 

The facts in Washington remain unchanged. Election officials implement security and transparency at every step of the election process. Ballots are tracked, voter signatures are verified, election systems are tested before and after elections. Results are subject to multiple audits and review to ensure every eligible voter's ballot is counted accurately. 

Members of the public can watch this process firsthand at their county elections office.  

Washington state has a proven track record of running secure, accurate, and transparent elections. Telling the same lies over and over again does not make them true.