6363-S AAS 2/15/00

SSB 6363 - S AMD - 165

    By Senators Gardner and Horn

                                                   ADOPTED 2/15/00

    On page 17, line 19, delete all of sections 24 and 25 and insert the following:

    "Sec. 24.  RCW 29.04.055 and 1986 c 167 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

    COMBINING OR DIVIDING PRECINCTS, ELECTION BOARDS.  At any ((election, general or)) special election((,)) or ((at any)) primary, the county auditor may combine, unite, or divide precincts and may combine or unite election boards for the purpose of holding such election.  At any general election, the county auditor may combine or unite election boards for the purpose of holding such election, but shall report all election returns by individual precinct.

    Sec. 25. RCW 29.62.090 and 1999 c 298 s 21 are each amended to read as follows:

    ABSTRACT BY ELECTION OFFICER--TRANSMITTAL TO SECRETARY OF STATE.  (1) Immediately after the official results of a state primary ((or general election)) in a county are ascertained, the county auditor or other election officer shall make an abstract of the number of registered voters in each precinct and of all the votes cast in the county at such state primary ((or general election)) for and against state measures and for each candidate for federal, state, and legislative office or for any other office which the secretary of state is required by law to canvass.  The abstract shall be entered on blanks furnished by the secretary of state or on compatible computer printouts approved by the secretary of state, and transmitted to the secretary of state no later than the next business day following the certification by the county canvassing board.

    (2) After each general election, the county auditor or other election officer shall ((provide to the secretary of state a report)) make an abstract of the number of registered voters and all((absentee)) ballots cast in each precinct at such general election for and against state measures and for each candidate for federal, state, and legislative office or for any other office which the secretary of state is required by law to canvass.  ((The report may be included in the abstract required by this section or may be transmitted to the secretary of state separately, but in no event later than March 31 of the year following the election.))  Absentee ballot results may be incorporated into votes cast at the polls for each precinct or may be reported separately on a precinct-by-precinct basis.  The abstract shall be entered on blanks furnished by the secretary of state or on compatible computer printouts approved by the secretary of state, and transmitted to the secretary of state no later than the next business day following the certification by the county canvassing board.

    (3) If absentee ballot results are not incorporated into votes cast at the polls, the county auditor or other election official may aggregate results from more than one precinct if the auditor, pursuant to rules adopted by the secretary of state, finds that reporting a single precinct's absentee ballot results would jeopardize the secrecy of a person's ballot.  To the extent practicable, precincts for which absentee results are aggregated shall be contiguous."

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EFFECT: Clarify that paper ballots and absentee ballots shall be reported by precincts in general elections