Governor Ferguson Signs Legislation Protecting Sensitive Voter Information

Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs is praising the signing of Senate Bill 5892 this week which aims to protect voters’ private information.

ELECTION OFFICIALS PUT ON WATCH

The new law makes it a class C felony for any state or local election official to disclose sensitive voter data, including driver’s license numbers, Social Security numbers, or full birthdates.
The legislation also makes clear the Office of the Secretary of State is the agency authorized to handle requests for data from Washington’s voter database, reinforcing the security of state elections.

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THE SECRETARY OF THE STATE SAYS HE'S CONFIDENT IN THE SYSTEM

“My office is committed to protecting voter information so Washingtonians can remain confident in the security and accuracy of our election systems,” says Secretary Hobbs.
The bill, which includes an emergency clause, went into effect immediately upon signing by Governor Bob Ferguson.

VOTERS ALREADY ASSUME INFORMATION IS FULLY PROTECTED

Senate Bill 5892 was sponsored by Senator Marcus Riccelli (D-Spokane), who emphasized the importance of maintaining voter privacy.
“Voters in our state expect and deserve a secure election system that protects their privacy,” Riccelli stated. “This legislation will ensure confidential information in our voter database is protected from unnecessary disclosures.”

BARRING ACCESS TO VOTER INFO

The new law comes amid federal efforts to access Washington’s voter roll.
In September 2025, the Trump administration requested the state’s complete voter list. Secretary Hobbs directed federal officials to a portal with publicly available information but refused to share private identifying details, citing existing state laws and the 1974 Privacy Act. The Department of Justice attempted to sue Washington over this in December but filed the lawsuit three times unsuccessfully. A similar case filed against Oregon was also dismissed by a federal judge, reaffirming the state's stance on protecting voter privacy.