The Associated Press
OLYMPIA — Washington Secretary of State Sam Reed says he will retire at the end of his current term.
Reed, 70, said today that he simply felt it was time to leave office. A cancer survivor, Reed said he is healthy and plans to continue volunteering and participating in government issues after his term is over in January 2013.
The Republican has helped guide the state’s elections over the past decade, including the shift for vote-by-mail and the contested 2004 governor’s race. He says there is still work to be done and expects that voters will one day cast their ballots online.
Democratic state Sen. Jim Kastama has indicated that he will run to replace Reed while Republican Thurston County Auditor Kim Wyman has also shown interest.
