The City of Seattle’s original Paid Lobbying Disclosure ordinance went into effect September 17, 2008. On December 14, 2020, the City Council amended Seattle’s Lobbying Disclosure law. The updated law went into effect June 13, 2021.
Anyone qualifying as either a paid direct lobbyist or an indirect (also known as grassroots) lobbying sponsor under the updated ordinance is required to register with the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission (SEEC) and disclose their lobbying activities.
Registration information must be filed with the SEEC before direct lobbying is undertaken, or within 30 days after being employed as a lobbyist, whichever comes first. In addition, direct lobbying filers must also complete quarterly expenditure reports disclosing all lobbying compensation and activities.
Indirect lobbying sponsors must register within 30 days of becoming a sponsor of an indirect lobbying campaign and provide monthly reports disclosing all lobbying activities, contributions, and expenditures until the cessation of the indirect lobbying campaign.
- Are paid to lobby, as a contractor or as some part of their regular employment duties; and
- Do not qualify for one of these exemptions:
- Only lobby in public sessions of the City Council or its Committees, or;
- Lobby four days or fewer during any calendar quarter and receive compensation of less than $5,000 for lobbying in that quarter (appearances before public sessions of the City Council or its Committees do not count), or;
- Only lobby on behalf of any local, state or federal government as one of the regular employment duties of the position. (A person who is paid explicitly to lobby for a government agency must register and disclose under the ordinance.)
- Spend more than $1,500 within three months or more than $750 in one month appealing to the public to influence legislation; and
- Do not qualify for one of these exemptions:
- The expenditures are already reported by a registered lobbyist, or;
- 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 updates to the direct lobbying law can be found in this presentation and video, and this quick guide which underlines the changes.
- Information on direct lobbying registration and authorization can be found in this presentation and video.
- Information on direct lobbying quarterly reporting can be found in this presentation and video.
- Information on direct lobbying final reporting can be found in this presentation and video.
- How to register a new employer/client as a direct lobbyist: Step-by-step guide
- How to file a direct lobbying quarterly report: Step-by-step guide
- How to terminate a direct lobbying employer/client registration: Step-by-step guide
- Employer Authorization instructions and template: Step-by-step guide
- Employer Certification instructions and template: Step-by-step guide
- A brief overview of indirect lobbying can be found in this presentation and video.
- How to register and report as an indirect lobbying sponsor can be found in this presentation and video.
- A walkthrough of the various search tools, reports, and information available on the SEEC website reg-arding lobbying can be found in this presentation and video.
- The Seattle Municipal Codes and Rules administered by the SEEC can be found on our website under Commission Rules and Procedures.
Please contact Chrissy.Courtney@seattle.gov or call 206.437.6165 for direct and indirect lobbying registration credentials.