Study packet for Student Q&A – WA State Secretary of State Steve Hobbs
Elections Explained is a civics program produced by Teach with TVW, the education wing of TVW, Washington’s Public Affairs network. Through the 2024 Election Season, the Teach team has followed the election cycle, interviewing officials, candidates, and delegates all to explain to students how Washington State elections work.
STUDENTS BRING THE QUESTIONS
In this upcoming episode of Elections Explained, Teach with TVW will be interviewing Secretary of State, Steve Hobbs, about Washington State’s Elections. Students from your classes can submit questions for the Secretary and participate in the Elections Explained series that will be shown on TVW’s cable network, its website, and on civics focused social media.
OUR GUEST
Secretary of State, Steve Hobbs, was appointed to be Secretary of State by Governor Jay Inslee in 2021 and was elected by the people to the office in 2022. Before becoming the Secretary, Hobbs was in the State Legislature as a Senator from the 44th district, which encompasses Snohomish. Secretary Hobbs has served in the US Army since 1987, and continues his service today with the National Guard. While Secretary of State, Hobbs’ work has been related to fighting election misinformation and expanding voter education.
DATES TO REMEMBER
- Question videos submitted to Teach with TVW by September 22nd
- Recording options:
- Selfie videos – submit your formatted questions directly to this DropBox link.
- Remote record – Teachers can contact teachwithtvw@tvw.org to schedule your student recordings with Teach with TVW during the week of September 16 – 20th
- Episode released to classrooms October 1st
STEP 1: DO YOUR RESEARCH
Before meeting with an elected official, it is important to have context for your questions. Look at the topics, pick one or two topics and examine the resources within that topic. After conducting your research, use the question format guideline below to write your question.
| Topic | Resources | Questions to Consider |
| Path of the Ballot | This video, made by TVW in 2011, depicts how your ballot is counted by election officials. | Think: How is your ballot protected from bad actors? How do we know that your ballot is secure? Consider: What questions can you ask the Secretary of State about how things have changed in the last 13 years in how your ballot is processed? |
| Ballot Processing | Each county processes their own ballots. King County has live election cams that you can tune into to see the Election staff at work. | Think: Why would it be important to watch your ballot being counted? Consider: What do you want to know from Secretary Hobbs about how the media covers elections? |
| Interview with Thurston County Auditor Mary Hall | In excerpts from this 2024 interview with County Auditor Mary Hall, she explains how the US’ localized elections secure your vote. | Think: What is the job of the county auditor? What would online voting look like? Consider: What questions can you ask the Secretary of State about the role of elections officials, the benefits and negatives of moving to online voting, and why education about voting is so important? |
STEP 2: FORMAT YOUR QUESTION
Directions
- Use the links above to research information about the guest.
- Follow this formula when writing your question for the guest:
- Your name + your grade and school +
- something you learned from your research +
- question about what you learned
- = GREAT QUESTION
Example from interview with Secretary of State Steve Hobbs:
- My name is _________ from ____________School in_____________Washington. In my research, I learned that the election system is decentralized. Can you explain how that protects the privacy of my vote and why that is important for election integrity?
Record
- Watch this short demo video for tips on recording a great video question
- Name your video file: YourFirstLastName_TeacherLastName
STEP 3: SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION
Click on the button below to fill out the necessary student waiver form and upload your video to the Submissions Dropbox.
Video questions are to be uploaded (and waivers signed) by the cutoff on Sunday, September 22nd at 11pm. After the cutoff, Elections Explained producers will determine which questions will be included in the live Q&A and stay tuned for the October 1st release date.
Here are more great elections resources!
- The Executive Branch Series
