HOUSE BILL REPORT

SHB 22

BYHouse Committee on Constitution, Elections & Ethics (originally sponsored by Representatives Fisher, Wang, Hine, Heavey, P. King, Wineberry and Belcher)

Revising voter registration periods.

House Committe on Constitution, Elections & Ethics

Majority Report:     The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (7)

     Signed by Representatives Fisher, Chair; Pruitt, Vice Chair; Amondson, Barnes, Fisch, Leonard and Sanders.

House Staff:Kenneth Hirst (786-7105)

AS PASSED HOUSE JANUARY 15, 1988

BACKGROUND:

State law requires that the registration files of precincts be closed against original voter registrations or transfers for 30 days immediately preceding each primary or election.  At least five days before the precinct files are closed, the county auditor must publish a notice of the closing of the files.

SUMMARY:

A qualified but unregistered elector desiring to register to vote in a primary or election after the close of the precinct registration files for that primary or election may register in person in the office of the county auditor or at a location designated by the auditor.  To vote in that primary or election, the elector shall register not later than the 15th day immediately preceding the primary or election and may vote only by absentee ballot.  Upon registering, the person shall immediately apply for an absentee ballot.  The person's registration form and absentee ballot application shall be promptly transmitted to the county auditor if executed at any location other than the auditor's office.  Following the primary or election, the registration of the person shall be added to the appropriate precinct file.  For each location designated by the auditor for registering voters under this procedure, the auditor shall also designate one or more deputy registrars who shall be the only persons permitted to register voters at that location.

Notice of this procedure for registering and voting by absentee ballot shall be published at least 5 days before the closing of precinct files against original registration and transfers.

No person may vote in a precinct polling place at a primary or election unless he or she has registered to vote at least 30 days before that primary or election.

Fiscal Note:    Requested January 23, 1987.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:     Alan Rose, Washington Public Interest Research Group; Mark Brown, Washington Federation of State Employees; Tawyna Trevino, Washington State Labor Council; Rosa Escamilla, Northwest Voter Registration & Education Project.

House Committee - Testified Against: None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:     (1) Voter interest in an election and registration increases as the election draws near and the media attention given the election increases.  (2) The current cut-off period for voter registration is not in the public interest; the cut-off should be closer to the election.  (3) Barriers to registration decreases the citizens' willingness to participate in elections.  (4) The higher the registration rate, the greater the voter turn-out rate at elections.

House Committee - Testimony Against: The cut-off date for voter registration should be moved even closer to the election date.