H-3815.1 _______________________________________________
HOUSE BILL 2781
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State of Washington 55th Legislature 1998 Regular Session
By Representatives Dunn, Honeyford, Scott, DeBolt, Boldt, Koster, McMorris, Clements and Skinner
Read first time 01/20/98. Referred to Committee on Government Administration.
AN ACT Relating to interpreters at precinct polling places; and adding a new section to chapter 29.51 RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 29.51 RCW to read as follows:
Other than a person who is brought to the precinct polling place by a voter to act as his or her interpreter, a person may not serve as an interpreter for non-English-speaking persons, or limited-English-speaking persons, at a precinct polling place unless he or she meets each of the following conditions:
(1) The person must present evidence to the county auditor, or the county elections supervisor, of demonstrated interpretation skills in the form of being designated by the administrator of the courts as a certified interpreter, designated by the department of social and health services as a certified interpreter, or having a letter of qualification as an interpreter from the department of social and health services;
(2) The person must apply to the county auditor to be an interpreter by the Friday immediately before an election or primary and the county auditor has issued the person a letter of authorization to the person to act as an interpreter for that election or primary;
(3) The person must present the letter of authorization to the precinct election supervisor at the precinct polling place before being allowed to translate for a voter;
(4) The person must not be involved in electioneering at the precinct polling place;
(5) The person must not wear clothing with a name, slogan, or symbol associated with a campaign, political party, or interest group, including, but not limited to, the name of a candidate or nominee, political party, or political action committee, or a slogan or symbol associated with a candidacy, political party, or political action committee;
(6) The person must not touch a ballot other than his or her own ballot;
(7) The person must not impede or interfere with the voting process, interfere with the work of poll workers, or interfere with a voter who is voting; and
(8) The person must comply with any other guidelines or rules established by the county auditor.
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