SENATE BILL REPORT

                                    SB 5433

             AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS,

                               FEBRUARY 18, 1991

Brief Description:  Facilitating voter registration address verification.

SPONSORS:Senators Nelson, Madsen and Matson.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass.

      Signed by Senators McCaslin, Chairman; Roach, Vice Chairman; Madsen, and Sutherland. 

Staff:  Rod McAulay (786‑7754)

Hearing Dates:February 12, 1991; February 18, 1991

BACKGROUND:

County auditors are required to monitor the validity of the voter rolls.  When a vote-by-mail ballot, reprecincting notice, jury selection notice or initial voter identification card is returned by the postal service as undeliverable, the auditor must institute a validation procedure to determine if the voter is at the same address, if the address should be changed, or if the registration should be canceled.

SUMMARY:

The county auditor may contract with the U.S. Postal Service for use of change-of-address information.  A change of address notice is a basis for instituting the voter registration validation procedure.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  none requested

TESTIMONY FOR:

Provides an additional source of information to auditors to monitor the accuracy of voter rolls.  Persons who move are more likely to notify the post office than the auditor.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  David Elliott, Secretary of State's Office (pro); Karen Flynn, Washington Association of County Auditors (pro); Gary McIntosh, Secretary of State's Office (pro)