WSR 22-13-095
PERMANENT RULES
SECRETARY OF STATE
[Filed June 14, 2022, 11:05 a.m., effective July 15, 2022]
Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.
Purpose: Permanent adoption of WAC changes related to voter secrecy on ballot return envelopes, ballot oath declarations, and other ballot return forms.
Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: New WAC 434-250-380.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 29A.04.611.
Adopted under notice filed as WSR 22-10-069 on May 3, 2022.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Date Adopted: June 14, 2022.
Randy Bolerjack
Deputy Secretary of State
OTS-3424.4
NEW SECTION
WAC 434-250-380Disclosure of voter signatures.
(1) In-person inspection of unredacted ballot return envelopes, ballot declarations, and signature correction forms is authorized, so long as photocopying, photographs, and other types of image reproduction of voter signatures, phone numbers, and email addresses are prohibited.
(2) Upon receiving a public records request for ballot return envelopes, ballot declarations, or signature correction forms, an agency should offer the requestor the option of receiving redacted copies or inspecting unredacted versions in-person.
(3) For purposes of this regulation, "signature correction form" means any form submitted by a voter for the purpose of curing a missing or mismatched signature on a ballot declaration or otherwise updating the voter signature.
(4) For purposes of this section, "voter signature" means any original handwritten signature or image of the voter's signature.