A new state law is giving election workers additional protection against abuse, harassment, or threats from the public in relation to their official duties.

House Bill 1241, passed by the Legislature and signed into law by the governor this spring, makes it a felony to threaten an election worker in writing or in person. It builds on legislation passed in 2022 that also felony crime status to cyberstalking election officials or threatening them through electronic communications. 

A quarter of election workers nationally experience harassment, according to the Elections and Voting Information Center at Reed College and the non-partisan Democracy Fund. In 2020, Washington’s elections director publicly challenged misinformation about elections, resulting in her personal information being put on a website that included a photo of the official’s face in crosshairs. In the years since then, similar incidents have happened to other election workers.

State Rep. Mari Leavitt, whose district includes University Place, sponsored the new state legislation to “protect those who make sure elections are fair and secure. Make no mistake, a threat to our election officials is a threat to our democracy and must be addressed immediately and seriously.” 

The new law was in effect for this month’s primary election. The general election ends in November.