H-3691.1          _______________________________________________

                                  HOUSE BILL 2403

                  _______________________________________________

State of Washington              52nd Legislature             1992 Regular Session

By Representatives Anderson, McLean, Pruitt, Chandler, O'Brien, Hine, Jones, Bowman, Ferguson, Orr, Brough, May and Hochstatter

Read first time 01/16/92.  Referred to Committee on State Government.Expanding eligibility for ongoing absentee voter status.

     AN ACT Relating to ongoing absentee voter status; amending RCW 29.36.013; repealing RCW 29.36.016; and providing an effective date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

     Sec. 1.  RCW 29.36.013 and 1991 c 81 s 30 are each amended 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)) qualified applicant 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 request 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; or

     (4) The return of an ongoing absentee ballot as undeliverable((; or

     (5) January 1st of each odd-numbered year)).

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.      RCW 29.36.016 and 1985 c 273 s 3 are each repealed.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.      This act shall take effect July 1, 1992.