TUKWILA, WA – State Rep. Zack Hudgins (D-11) today announced his campaign for Secretary of State.
“I believe I bring the management experience and commitment to democracy needed to ensure the office of Secretary of State meets the highest standards,” Hudgins said.
Zack’s professional background includes managing projects for software companies, Microsoft and Amazon.com. Zack left the private sector after being elected to the state legislature. He rose quickly to leadership positions in his caucus, elected by his colleagues as an Assistant Whip, and Assistant Floor Leader before becoming the Majority Floor Leader.
Now in his 5th term in the House, Hudgins serves as chair of the General Government Appropriations and Oversight committee which has jurisdiction over 71 state agencies, including overseeing the budget of the Secretary of State’s office.
Zack took his commitment to open, free and fair elections to other countries, serving as a trainer for the National Democratic Institute in Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan. In 2004, Representative Hudgins spent several months, living outside the Green Zone in Baghdad, Iraq helping train local citizens and parliamentarians for their first democratic elections.
“The greatest threat to our democracy is a corrupted election process and we must be ever vigilant to protect that process, regardless of our personal or party preferences,” Hudgins said. “My time spent in Iraq showed me how fragile and important democracy can be and helped me understand how to better promote and safeguard elections in our State.”
Hudgins, because of his background in technology, said that one of his priorities as Secretary of State would be improving the office’s use of technology, social media, and the internet to make it easier for citizens to register to vote, to learn about candidates and elections, and to cast their vote.
Hudgins also said that having represented the 11th legislative district, one of the most diverse districts in the State, he was especially concerned with making sure new citizens and non-English speaking citizens understood their right to vote and that more materials be translated into other languages so they can exercise their rights. “We must ensure that every citizen in our state who is eligible to vote has the chance to vote and that our process is accessible and inclusive to all those who can participate in it,” he said. “We need to make sure we protect everyone’s vote including military personnel, seniors and students.”
When Zack is not serving in the State Legislature, he worked in the non-profit sector as a Loaned Executive for the United Way of King county, and has taught in the Highline Community College’s Global Leadership Development Program. In his personal time, Zack helped found the Fisher House at the VA Hospital in Seattle, where he is currently in his second term as President of the Board of Directors. Fisher House is a place where the families of veterans can live while a veteran recuperates at the hospital. Zack Hudgins is married to Gabriela Quintana and has a 3 month-old son, Sebastian. They live in Tukwila, Washington.
