FINAL BILL REPORT

                           2SSB 5511

                          C 434 L 93

                      SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

Brief Description:  Enabling voter registration by mail.

SPONSORS: Senate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Loveland, Winsley, Quigley, Snyder and Pelz; by request of Secretary of State)

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT

BACKGROUND:

Residents of the state of the age of 18 or older, not otherwise disqualified, may register to vote in person before a qualified registrar or at a Department of Licensing facility when obtaining or renewing a driver's license or identification card.  County auditors are designated as the chief registrar of voters and custodian of voter records.  The county auditors may appoint city and town clerks and others as deputy registrars.

When registering to vote, a person is required to provide certain documentation of his or her identity and to sign a sworn statement attesting to the truthfulness of the information provided.

Voter registration must be done in person before a registrar or at a driver's licensing facility.

SUMMARY:

The Secretary of State, in consultation with the county auditors, is authorized to prescribe a form to be used by citizens to register to vote by mail.  The form includes all of the information required to register in person and a portion of the form to be signed by the registrant serves as an initiative signature verification card.  The form contains a warning that providing false information is a class C felony and includes a declaration signed by the registrant as to the truthfulness of the information provided.

Upon receipt of a properly completed form, the county auditor enters the registrant on the voter rolls and sends a registration card to the registrant.  Provisions are made for removing the voter from the rolls when a card is returned by the Post Office.

The Secretary of State will furnish, to the counties, registration by mail forms to be disseminated by the county auditors.  Counties are required to reimburse the state for the costs of the voter registration forms during 1994 and 1995.  These costs are then prorated among the political subdivisions participating in elections during 1994 and 1995.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

Senate    32   16

House     92   6   (House amended)

Senate    31   16   (Senate concurred)

EFFECTIVE:July 25, 1993

January 1, 1994 (Sections 1-9, 12)