SENATE BILL REPORT
SB 5015
As of January 13, 2021
Title: An act relating to fraudulent portrayal of ballot drop boxes.
Brief Description: Concerning fraudulent portrayal of ballot drop boxes.
Sponsors: Senators Hunt, Kuderer, Wilson, C., Keiser, Dhingra, Hasegawa, Das, Billig and Nguyen.
Brief History:
Committee Activity: State Government & Elections: 1/15/21.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Establishes a gross misdemeanor for misrepresenting an unofficial ballot collection site or device as an official ballot drop box.
SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT & ELECTIONS
Staff: Samuel Brown (786-7470)
Background:

Ballot Drop Boxes.  All counties in the state conduct elections entirely by mail.  Counties must establish ballot drop boxes for voters to return ballots.  Each county must establish at least one ballot drop box per 15,000 registered voters in the county, and a ballot drop box in each city, town, and census-designated place with a post office.  At a tribe's request, the county auditor must establish at least one ballot drop box on the tribe's reservation on a site selected by the tribe. 

 

Ballots must be removed from each ballot drop box by at least two people, with a record of the date and time ballots were removed and the persons removing the ballots, which are transported to the county auditor in secured containers.  Containers are verified by the county auditor at the ballot counting center. 

 

Election Offenses.  Any person who provides a voter with incorrect or misleading information or faulty election equipment to deceive the voter, or who records the vote of any voter in a way other than what the voter designates, is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.  A gross misdemeanor is punishable by a maximum of 364 days in jail and a fine up to $5,000.
Summary of Bill:

Misrepresentation of an unofficial ballot collection site or device as an official ballot drop box is punishable as a gross misdemeanor.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Not requested.
Creates Committee/Commission/Task Force that includes Legislative members: No.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.