H-3548.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 2307

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1998 Regular Session

By Representatives Cairnes, Fisher, Robertson, Chandler, Murray, Mitchell, Hatfield, Radcliff, Wood, Romero, Hickel, Johnson, Sheahan, Backlund, Hankins, Skinner, L. Thomas, Scott, Gardner, Linville, Ogden, Butler, Kessler, Chopp, Cody, Costa, Anderson, Kenney, Cooke, Dyer, Cooper, Kastama, Smith, Constantine, Mason, Gombosky, Conway, Lantz, Tokuda and McDonald

Prefiled 12/23/97.  Read first time 01/12/98.  Referred to Committee on Government Administration.

Supplying voting instructions and ballots in braille.

    AN ACT Relating to ballots; and adding a new section to chapter 29.30 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 29.30 RCW to read as follows:

    The secretary of state shall adopt rules providing for the preparation of voting instructions and ballots, including absentee ballots and mail ballots, in braille and for the distribution of these instructions and ballots at the request of the voter.  The rules may provide for pilot projects to test the use of instructions and ballots in braille before the preparation of those materials in braille becomes mandatory.

    Voter registration cards and applications for an absentee ballot or ongoing absentee status must include space where an applicant may request that voting instructions and ballots provided to the voter be in braille.

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