Job Description

Posting number: 26 EL OA1 TE011

Department: Office of the Secretary of State

Division: Elections

Job classification: OFFICE ASSISTANT 1

Posting type: Open & Promotional

Categories: Miscellaneous, Elections, Office and Administrative Support

Summary

Headed by an elected state official, the Office of the Secretary of State is responsible for administering elections within the state, registering corporations and charities that do business within the state, collecting and preserving the records of governmental bodies within the state, and maintaining the Washington State Library. The office also administers the Address Confidentiality Program, the Legacy Washington and the Combined Fund Drive. Visit our website at:Headed by an elected state official, the Office of the Secretary of State is responsible for administering elections within the state, registering corporations and charities that do business within the state, collecting and preserving the records of governmental bodies within the state, and maintaining the Washington State Library. The office also administers the Address Confidentiality Program, the Legacy Washington and the Combined Fund Drive. Visit our website at: www.sos.wa.gov.

The Elections Division plays a critical role in ensuring Washington's democratic process is fair, accurate, accessible, and secure. Elections staff provide valuable services to voters, as well as statutorily required training and certifications to election administrators in all 39 counties. The division develops elections policy, administers our statewide voter registration database, manages statewide elections, and verifies and accepts petitions for initiatives and referenda.

Note: This recruitment may be used to fill other positions.

Office Assistant 1 - Elections Assistant

Part-Time / Non-Permanent

This non-permanent, on-call position reports to the deputy director and is responsible for providing customer service via email and multi-line phones, reviewing petition sheets, comparing voter’s signatures for validity, proofreading elections and voter documents and processes ingoing and outgoing mail.

This position may work up to forty hours per week and is used during peak election times.

We are recruiting multiple non-permanent, on-call positions. These appointments are expected to last thru January 15th, 2027. These positions may work up to forty hours per week. The hiring manager reserves the right to fill the position at any time.

Examples of duties

Provides customer service, processes petition sheets, proofreads documents and processes mail

Task include:

• Compares text to the original for accuracy.
• Checks to ensure spelling and style are correct and consistent.
• Checks to ensure page numbers, heading and captions are correct.
• Verifies that photos and illustrations are correctly captioned.
• Answers customer inquiries in-person, and by phone and email.
• Utilizes a multi-line phone system.
• Stacks, sorts, and codes petitions for validation.
• Compares signatures from petitions sheets to signatures in the voter registration system to determine validity.
• Processes incoming mail and prepares outgoing mail.

Miscellaneous

Task include:

• Other duties as assigned.
• May serve as backup for VoteWa and Administrative team.

Qualifications

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Ability to read and write English language
• Ability to efficiently use a personal computer and applicable software to successfully perform the essential job functions of the position
• Attention to detail
• Ability to multi-task

PREFERRED/DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• High school diploma or GED
• Prior signature petition checking experience (state or county)
• Experience answering high volume phone lines
• Experience performing routine clerical duties such as typing, data entry, and file management
• Experience working directly with customers either by phone, email, or in-person
• Ability to follow directions and learn new skills
• Ability to concentrate for extended periods of time

PLEASE READ: If you have gotten this far and are thinking you do not qualify, consider again. Studies have shown that members of historically marginalized and underrepresented communities, specifically women and people of color, are less likely to apply to jobs unless they clearly meet every single qualification.

At the Office of the Secretary of State, we are dedicated to building a diverse and authentic work force with a foundation of belonging. If you are excited about this role and have relevant experience and skills, but question whether your experience aligns perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply regardless. You may just be the ideal candidate this office needs.

Supplemental information

WORKING CONDITIONS:

In this position, the incumbent works primarily in an office setting which may require sitting and/or standing for long periods of time. The position is non-permanent, on-call up to 40 hours a week. The position primarily interacts with internal customers but may also interact with the public. The incumbent must be able to work and handle multiple and consent interruptions.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS/CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

• These are on-call, non-permanent positions working up to 40 hours per week
• This position is in a bargaining unit represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) and is subject to the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the State of Washington, The Office of the Secretary of State, and the WFSE.
• This position compares signatures from petitions sheets to signatures in the voter registration system to determine validity, to do this work you must complete the mandatory signature verification training.

HOW TO APPLY

• To be considered for this position you must attach the following:
• Letter of interest describing how your experience and qualifications relate to the duties and qualifications of the position
• Current Resume
• Three Professional references. Personal references will not be considered.
• You must complete the supplemental questions at the end of this application. Incomplete responses such as "see resume" will not be considered. In addition, if the employer you identify in the additional information section is not included on your resume or work experience profile and/or you do not identify an employer, you will not receive credit.
• All veterans must include a copy of your DD214 to receive preference in the hiring process. You must black out your social security number before attaching it to your application.
• Candidates who are offered a job with OSOS must possess work authorization that does not require sponsorship by the employer for a visa now or in the future.
• OSOS complies with the employment eligibility verification requirements of the federal government eligibility verification I-9 form. The selected candidate must be able to provide proof of identity and eligibility to work in the United States consistent with the requirements of that form.
• OSOS does not participate in the E-Verify program and therefore cannot support STEM OPT Extensions.

The Office of the Secretary of State is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). We do not

discriminate on the basis of religion, age, sex, marital status, color, creed, national origin, political affiliation, military status, sexual orientation, gender identity or any real or perceived sensory, mental or physical ability. All interested candidates are encouraged to apply. Persons of disability needing assistance in the application process, or those needing the announcement in alternative format, should email HR@sos.wa.gov.