WashCOG opens nominations for annual Kenneth F. Bunting Award

REDMOND, WA – The Washington Coalition for Open Government is taking nominations between now and Jan. 16, 2026 for its annual Kenneth F. Bunting Award for outstanding journalism in the interest of government transparency.

Kenneth F. Bunting

The Bunting Award recognizes journalists and media outlets for work that uses or advances Washington state’s open government laws, or educates citizens about them. The award honors the memory of the late Ken Bunting, an executive editor and associate publisher with The Seattle Post-Intelligencer who helped found WashCOG in 2002.

The coalition will present the Bunting Award at its annual Sunshine Breakfast on March 13 at the Embassy Suites Bellevue. The annual event recognizes Washington state’s open government champions, brings transparency advocates together and raises money for WashCOG.

Previous honorees include Daniel Walters with InvestigateWest; Statehouse reporter Shauna Sowersby for her work at McClatchy; former Cascade PBS reporter Joseph O’Sullivan; the former online news site Crosscut; The Seattle Times; and reporter Chris Ingalls and the KING 5 investigative team.

The coalition is taking nominations for work published, broadcast or posted between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2025.

Use the attached form to nominate journalists and media outlets. We must receive completed forms by mail or email before the end of business on Jan. 16, 2026. Find our contact information on the nomination form.

The Washington Coalition for Open Government is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization founded in 2002. We are an independent, broad-based advocate for public records, open meetings and informed citizens.