_______________________________________________
ENGROSSED SENATE BILL NO. 3854
_______________________________________________
State of Washington 49th Legislature 1985 Regular Session
By Senators Rinehart, Rasmussen and Bender
Read first time 2/7/85 and referred to Committee on Governmental Operations.
AN ACT Relating to absentee voting; amending RCW 29.36.010; and adding new sections to chapter 29.36 RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. Section 29.36.010, chapter 9, Laws of 1965 as last amended by section 1, chapter 27, Laws of 1984 and RCW 29.36.010 are each amended to read as follows:
Any duly registered voter may vote an absentee ballot for any primary or election in the manner provided in this chapter.
(1)
Except as provided in subsections (2) and (3) of this section and section 2 of
this act, a registered voter desiring to cast an absentee ballot must apply
in writing to his or her county auditor no earlier than forty-five days
nor later than the day ((prior to)) before any election or
primary((: PROVIDED, That)).
(2) An
application honored for a primary ballot shall also be honored as an
application for a ballot for the following general election if the voter
so indicates on his or her application((: PROVIDED FURTHER, That)).
(3) A voter admitted to a hospital no earlier than five days before a primary or election and confined to the hospital on election day may apply by messenger for an absentee ballot on the day of the primary or election if a signed statement from the hospital administrator, or designee, verifying the voter's date of admission and status as a patient in the hospital on the day of the primary or election is attached to the absentee ballot application.
(4) Such
applications must contain the voter's signature and may be made in person ((or)),
by mail, or messenger((: PROVIDED, That no)). An
application for an absentee ballot shall not be approved unless the
voter's signature upon the application compares favorably with the voter's
signature upon his ((permanent)) or her registration record.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 29.36 RCW to read as follows:
Any disabled voter or any voter over the age of sixty-five may apply, in writing, for status as an ongoing absentee voter. Each such voter shall be granted that status by his or her county auditor and shall automatically receive an absentee ballot for each ensuing election for which he or she is entitled to vote and need not submit a separate application for each election. Ballots received from ongoing absentee voters shall be validated, processed, and tabulated in the same manner as other absentee ballots.
Status as an ongoing absentee voter shall be terminated upon any of the following events:
(1)The written request of the voter;
(2) The death or disqualification of the voter;
(3) The cancellation of the voter's registration record;
(4) The return of an ongoing absentee ballot as undeliverable; or
(5) January 1st of each odd-numbered year.
A disabled voter is defined as a voter with a permanent and significant physical disability, including, but not limited to, sight loss, hearing loss, paralysis, loss of one or more limbs, or respiratory impairment.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 29.36 RCW to read as follows:
As soon as practical following the first day of January of each odd-numbered year, the county auditor shall notify each ongoing absentee voter of the termination of his or her status as such a voter under section 2(5) of this act. Included with this notice shall be a postage prepaid return form permitting any such voter to renew his or her status as an ongoing absentee voter. Upon receipt and signature verification of the renewal form, the county auditor shall continue to provide absentee ballots to such voters, subject to the provisions of section 2 of this act.