Prefiled 12/06/10. Read first time 01/10/11.   Referred to Committee on State Government & Tribal Affairs.

     AN ACT Relating to overseas and service voters; and amending RCW 29A.04.255, 29A.40.070, 29A.40.091, and 29A.40.110.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1   RCW 29A.04.255 and 2004 c 266 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:
     The secretary of state or a county auditor shall accept and file in his or her office electronic ((facsimile)) transmissions of the following documents:
     (1) Declarations of candidacy;
     (2) County canvass reports;
     (3) Voters' pamphlet statements;
     (4) Arguments for and against ballot measures that will appear in a voters' pamphlet;
     (5) Requests for recounts;
     (6) Certification of candidates and measures by the secretary of state;
     (7) Direction by the secretary of state for the conduct of a ((mandatory)) recount;
     (8) Requests for ((absentee)) ballots;
     (9) Any other election related document authorized by rule adopted by the secretary of state under RCW ((29A.04.610)) 29A.04.611.
     The acceptance by the secretary of state or the county auditor is conditional upon the document being filed in a timely manner, being legible, and otherwise satisfying the requirements of state law or rules with respect to form and content.
     ((If the original copy of a document must be signed and a copy of the document is filed by facsimile transmission under this section, the original copy must be subsequently filed with the official with whom the facsimile was filed. The original copy must be filed by a deadline established by the secretary by rule.)) The secretary may by rule require that the original of any document, a copy of which is filed by ((facsimile)) electronic transmission under this section, also be filed by a deadline established by the secretary by rule.

Sec. 2   RCW 29A.40.070 and 2006 c 344 s 13 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Except where a recount or litigation ((under RCW 29A.68.011)) is pending, the county auditor ((shall have sufficient absentee ballots available for absentee voters of that county, other than overseas voters and service voters, at least twenty days before any primary, general election, or special election. The county auditor)) must mail ((absentee)) ballots to each voter ((for whom the county auditor has received a request nineteen days before the primary or election)) at least eighteen days before ((the)) each primary or election, and as soon as possible for all subsequent registration changes. ((For a request for an absentee ballot received after the nineteenth day before the primary or election, the county auditor shall make every effort to mail ballots within one business day, and shall mail the ballots within two business days)).
     (2) ((At least thirty days before any primary, general election, or special election, the county auditor shall mail ballots to all overseas and service voters.)) Except where a recount or litigation is pending, the county auditor must mail ballots to each service and overseas voter at least thirty days before each special election and at least forty-five days before each primary or general election. A request for a ballot made by an overseas or service voter after that day must be processed immediately.
     (3) A registered voter may obtain a replacement ballot if the ballot is destroyed, spoiled, lost, or not received by the voter. The voter may obtain the ballot by telephone request, by mail, electronically, or in person. The county auditor shall keep a record of each request for a replacement ballot.
     (4) Each county auditor shall certify to the office of the secretary of state the dates the ballots ((prescribed in subsection (1) of this section were available and)) were mailed, or the reason and date the ballots will be mailed if the ballots were not mailed timely.
     (((4) If absentee ballots will not be available or mailed as prescribed in subsection (1) of this section, the county auditor shall immediately certify to the office of the secretary of state when absentee ballots will be available and mailed. Copies of this certification must be provided to the county canvassing board, the press, jurisdictions with issues on the ballot in the election, and any candidates.
     (5) If absentee ballots were not available or mailed as prescribed in subsection (1) of this section, for a reason other than a recount or litigation, the county auditor, in consultation with the certification and training program of the office of the secretary of state, shall submit a report to the office of the secretary of state outlining why the deadline was missed and what corrective actions will be taken in future elections to ensure that absentee ballots are available and mailed as prescribed in subsection (1) of this section.
     (6))) Failure to ((have absentee ballots available and mailed)) mail ballots as prescribed in ((subsection (1) of)) this section does not by itself provide a basis for an election contest or other legal challenge to the results of a primary, general election, or special election.

Sec. 3   RCW 29A.40.091 and 2010 c 125 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The county auditor shall send each voter a ballot, a security envelope in which to seal the ballot after voting, a larger envelope in which to return the security envelope, a declaration that the voter must sign, and instructions on how to obtain information about the election, how to mark the ballot, and how to return ((it)) the ballot to the county auditor.
     (2) The ((instructions that accompany a ballot for a partisan primary must include instructions for voting the applicable ballot style, as provided in chapter 29A.36 RCW. The voter's name and address must be printed on the larger return envelope, which must also contain a declaration by the voter reciting his or her qualifications and stating that he or she)) voter must swear under penalty of perjury that he or she meets the qualifications to vote, and has not voted in any other jurisdiction at this election((, together with a summary of the penalties for any violation of any of the provisions of this chapter)). The declaration must clearly inform the voter that it is illegal to vote if he or she is not a United States citizen; it is illegal to vote if he or she has been convicted of a felony and has not had his or her voting rights restored; and((, except as otherwise provided by law,)) it is illegal to cast a ballot or sign a return envelope on behalf of another voter. The ((return envelope must provide space for the)) voter ((to)) must indicate the date on which the ballot was voted and ((for the voter to)) sign the ((oath)) declaration. ((It)) The ballot materials must also contain a space so that the voter may include a telephone number. ((A summary of the applicable penalty provisions of this chapter must be printed on the return envelope immediately adjacent to the space for the voter's signature. The signature of the voter on the return envelope must affirm and attest to the statements regarding the qualifications of that voter and to the validity of the ballot. The return envelope may provide secrecy for the voter's signature and optional telephone number.))
     (3) For overseas and service voters, the signed declaration on the return envelope constitutes the equivalent of a voter registration for the election or primary for which the ballot has been issued. Return envelopes for overseas and service voters must enable the ballot to be returned postage free if mailed through the United States postal service, United States armed forces postal service, or the postal service of a United States foreign embassy under 39 U.S.C. 3406.
     (4) The voter must be instructed to either return the ballot to the county auditor ((by whom it was issued)) no later than 8:00 p.m. the day of the election or primary, or ((attach sufficient first-class postage, if applicable, and)) mail the ballot to the ((appropriate)) county auditor with a postmark no later than the day of the election or primary ((for which the ballot was issued.
     If the county auditor chooses to forward ballots, he or she must include with the ballot a clear explanation of the qualifications necessary to vote in that election and must also advise a voter with questions about his or her eligibility to contact the county auditor. This explanation may be provided on the ballot envelope, on an enclosed insert, or printed directly on the ballot itself. If the information is not included, the envelope must clearly indicate that the ballot is not to be forwarded and that return postage is guaranteed)). Service and overseas voters must be provided with instructions and a secrecy cover sheet for returning the ballot and signed declaration by fax or e-mail. A voted ballot and signed declaration returned by fax or e-mail must be received by 8:00 p.m. on the day of the election or primary.

Sec. 4   RCW 29A.40.110 and 2009 c 369 s 40 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The opening and subsequent processing of return envelopes for any primary or election may begin upon receipt. The tabulation of absentee ballots must not commence until after 8:00 p.m. on the day of the primary or election.
     (2) All received ((absentee)) return envelopes must be placed in secure locations from the time of delivery to the county auditor until their subsequent opening. After opening the return envelopes, the county canvassing board shall place all of the ballots in secure storage until ((after 8:00 p.m. of the day of the primary or election)) processing. ((Absentee ballots that are to be tabulated on an electronic vote tallying system)) Ballots may be taken from the inner envelopes and all the normal procedural steps may be performed to prepare these ballots for tabulation.
     (3) ((Before opening a returned absentee ballot,)) The canvassing board, or its designated representatives, shall examine the postmark((, statement,)) on the return envelope and signature on the ((return envelope that contains the security envelope and absentee ballot)) declaration before processing the ballot. The ballot must either be received no later than 8:00 p.m. on the day of the primary or election, or must be postmarked no later than the day of the primary or election. All personnel assigned to verify signatures must receive training on statewide standards for signature verification. Personnel shall verify that the voter's signature on the ((return envelope)) ballot declaration is the same as the signature of that voter in the registration files of the county. Verification may be conducted by an automated verification system approved by the secretary of state. ((For any absentee ballot,)) A variation between the signature of the voter on the ((return envelope)) ballot declaration and the signature of that voter in the registration files due to the substitution of initials or the use of common nicknames is permitted so long as the surname and handwriting are clearly the same.
     (4) ((For registered voters casting absentee ballots)) If the postmark is missing or illegible, the date on the ((return envelope)) ballot declaration to which the voter has attested determines the validity, as to the time of voting, for that ((absentee)) ballot ((if the postmark is missing or is illegible)). For overseas voters and service voters, the date on the ((return envelope)) declaration to which the voter has attested determines the validity, as to the time of voting, for that ((absentee)) ballot. Any overseas voter or service voter may return the signed declaration and voted ballot by fax or e-mail by 8:00 p.m. on the day of the primary or election, and the county auditor must use established procedures to maintain the secrecy of the ballot.