SENATE BILL REPORT

                  EHB 1508

                    As of February 11, 1998

Title:  An act relating to absentee ballots.

Brief Description:  Maintaining a list of absentee ballots.

Sponsors:  Representatives Wensman, D. Schmidt, Cooper, Chopp, Doumit, Blalock, Dickerson, B. Thomas and Thompson.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Government Operations:  2/19/98.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

Staff:  Eugene Green (786-7405)

Background:  Each county auditor must maintain and have open for public inspection the requests made for absentee ballots.  This information must be available no later than 24 hours after receipt and must be available by legislative district.  The auditor must make copies of these records available to the public for the actual cost of production or copying.

Summary of Bill:  The requirements for county auditors to keep and maintain records of absentee ballot requests are clarified to require a list of ongoing absentee voters, as well as a list of absentee ballot requests for each election or primary.  The record of requests for individual absentee ballots must be available the next business day after their receipt.  The record of ongoing absentee voters must be available at all times.

Each auditor must keep a cumulative list of the names of absentee voters whose absentee ballots have been returned before each primary and election.  The list of absentee voters whose absentee ballots have been returned must be available no later than the next business day after their receipt.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.