Interested in running for public office in Washington state? Candidate filing week for the upcoming 2024 elections opens May 6at 8:00 a.m. and closes May 10at 5:00 p.m.
During the filing period, candidacies can be declared for more than 400 federal, state, judicial, legislative, county, and other offices scheduled for the 2024 elections. All statewide Executive offices, all Congressional seats, a U.S. Senate position, and most state Legislature seats will be on the ballot. For the first time this year, candidates for Superior Court and all legislative districts must file with the Office of Secretary of State, which can be done via the office’s website, by mail, or in person.
Running for office allows people from all over with different backgrounds to step up and be representatives for their community. Playing a key factor in ensuring that diverse voices are being heard, and the needs and concerns of various groups are addressed is why everyone should consider running for public office.
“If we want to keep a good system going and get the issues that are important to our community out in front of the public, then we have to have people in office, and the only way you are going to have people in office is if they run and we can’t just wait around until people step down before we get another set person or two to step up and run,” says Nate Miles, a local African American Community Leader/Political Confidant.
According to Former State Representative Dawn Mason, running for office changed her life and allowed her to influence policy, and change the lives of many others.
“As a Seattle resident, I was motivated to run after testifying at a legislative hearing on a bill I opposed, a bill focused on Black African American youth,” says Mason. “At the time, I had no political experience but was very engaged in discourse about the education of African American students, and I thought to myself that I could be on the other side of this table, so I ran for office.”
Running for office encourages community engagement and inspires others to get involved by voting and participating in civic life. Seeing someone from your community take the initiative and run for office can ignite the spark of motivation in surrounding peers to take their step towards leadership.
“Allowing individuals for these positions of power to shape their immediate environment means that we will get policies that directly impact local daily lives from people who understand real-life experiences,” says Mason.
Whether it is for personal ambition, serving the public and making a difference, contributing by advocating for rights and working towards a more equitable society is something that those who run for public office are actively involved in creating a better future for others. From councils to school boards, county positions, drafting education policies, and public safety, the list is endless for those who would like to become involved, and many political advocates are eager to pass on the torch to a younger generation.
“I think that we need to get some of the people who are in office right now to go out and tell younger people in high school and college what a difference it could make for them to start considering running for office because in some of these positions you only have to be 21 years old,” says Miles.
Running for office is not something that is for everybody, although there are a ton of options and resources for someone who is on the verge of running. According to Miles, the best way for younger people to get involved in the political process before deciding to run is to volunteer for a campaign or take a job as a staffer.
“Some of the young people can go out and get a job working for people who are in office currently, and they can also go volunteer for campaigns,” says Miles. “They need to know what you do and what you can do, and the best way to do that is to let them see you.”
Serving as an elected official is a great opportunity to help your community that enables you to be involved with critical decisions at the local, state, or federal level. According to Mason, who ran six political campaigns of her own, remaining committed and involved in the issues that made her file for her first campaign is what drives her today to actively recruit community members to consider running for office.
“If a person is passionate about great and positive outcomes they should consider stepping up and running for a political position because they can amplify the voices of the groups and populations, and they can inspire others to believe in the possibility of change through their campaigns that help raise awareness about critical issues,” says Mason.
Motivating people to consider running for office has been a difficult task, but Miles believes that with the help of the media and people currently holding office candidates who are new to the political scene can quickly make a name for themselves.
“The thing that candidates have to understand is that the media is their friend,” says Miles. “Media is a huge part of our system because they are the voice of this community and they can help folks campaign and get our voices out there and heard.”
A complete list of state offices currently up for election and filing fees can be found on the Office of the Secretary of State’s Elections website at sos.wa.gov. Applicants are encouraged to file online if possible. For filing questions, contact the Elections office at (800) 448-4881 or elections@sos.wa.gov. In King County, you can contact the local elections department at kingcounty.gov/elections.