Allen Hayward, former longtime legal counsel for members of the state House of Representatives, joins the Public Disclosure Commission as its newest commissioner this week.

Gov. Jay Inslee appointed Hayward to the Commission effective Sept. 21, 2021, for a term ending Dec. 31, 2025.

“We are looking forward to drawing on Allen’s expertise gained from many years in state government as we continue to make improvements in how we serve both the officials who disclose information and the public who consumes it,” said Commission Chair Fred Jarrett.

New tool helps public navigate campaign finance data

The Public Disclosure Commission has released a new tool for members of the public looking for information about candidates' campaign finances.

Campaign Explorer provides an overview of money in state and local races. It provides quick access to a campaign's top contributors, most recent expenses, and all loans, debts and pledges. It also shows independent expenditures made by third parties in support of or opposition to a candidate.

A long-running case initiated by a Public Disclosure Commission investigation led to a court ruling Wednesday that initiative campaigner Tim Eyman intentionally violated state campaign finance laws.

Thurston County Superior Court Judge James J. Dixon found that Eyman misappropriated campaign donations for his personal use and neglected to report hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions.

Initiative 276 created the PDC in 1972. Throughout this anniversary year, we'll be posting highlights from PDC history, and how the PDC carries on its important work today.

To start, take a look at a brief summary of how it all began.