Seattle Lobbying Disclosure

On December 14, 2020, the City Council amended Seattle’s Lobbying Disclosure law. The new law went into effect June 13, 2021. The City of Seattle’s original Paid Lobbying Disclosure ordinance went into effect Wednesday, September 17th, 2008.

Anyone qualifying as either a paid direct lobbyist or a grassroots, also known as indirect, lobbying sponsor under the updated ordinance is required to register and disclose their lobbying activities.

Registration information must be filed before direct lobbying is undertaken, or within 30 days after being employed as a lobbyist, whichever comes first.  In addition, the direct lobbying filers must also complete quarterly expenditure reports disclosing all lobbying receipts and expenses.

Indirect lobbying sponsors must also register within 30 days after becoming a sponsor of an indirect lobbying campaign and provide monthly reports disclosing all lobbying activities until the cessation of the indirect lobbying campaign.

Where to file?

The login for the online filing system can be found on the Lobbying Law & Filer Info page. 

Who must file?

Those who are providing direct lobbying on behalf of their employers and meet the following criteria:

1.  Be paid to lobby, as a contractor or as some part of their regular employment duties; and

2.  Not qualify for one of these exemptions:

a)     Only lobby in public sessions of the City Council or its Committees, or;

b)     Lobby four days or less during any calendar quarter and are paid no more than $5,000 for lobbying in that quarter (appearances before public sessions of the City Council or its Committees don’t count), or;

c)     Only lobby on behalf of any local, state or federal government and do this as only a part of their regular employment duties. If you are a person who is specifically paid to be lobbyist for a government agency, then you must register and disclose under the ordinance.

Those who are sponsoring an indirect lobbying campaign and meet the following criteria:

1.     Spend more than $1,500 within three months or more than $750 in one month appealing to the public to influence legislation; and

2.     Not qualify for one of these exemptions:

a)     The expenditures are already reported by a registered lobbyist, or;

b)     The expenditures are already reported by a candidate or political committee.

A brief overview on direct lobbying can be found in this presentation and video. 

Information on the new indirect lobbying code can be found in this presentation and video.

Information on the website and available resources can be found in this presentation and video.

Please contact Chrissy Courtney by email at Chrissy.Courtney@seattle.gov for direct and indirect lobbying registration credentials or call (206) 437-6165.