Washington Secretary of State to retire

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Washington voters will select a new Secretary of State in 2012. Republican Sam Reed announced [today] Tuesday that he will retire at the end of his third term and not seek re-election.

Reed has held elective office for 35 years, first as Thurston County Auditor. He says he's disappointed he didn't get to usher in the era of Internet-based voting.

"The Internet isn't secure enough at this point," Secretary Reed said. "If we set up a website for people to vote on at this point in time it would be hacked into right away. But I think that is an important innovation that is just waiting to happen."

Among his accomplishments, Reed cites the creation of a statewide voter database and defending the state's top-two primary system at the U.S. Supreme Court.

Last year, Reed had a cancerous kidney removed but the 70-year-old says he's now cancer-free.

Democratic State Senator Jim Kastama [KAS-ta-MA] has signaled his intention to run for Secretary of State. On the Republican side, current Thurston County Auditor Kim Wyman is a possible contender.

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