BILL REQ. #: Z-0373.1
| State of Washington | 58th Legislature | 2003 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/20/2003. Referred to Committee on State Government.
AN ACT Relating to a pilot project for military and overseas voters to vote over the Internet; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 Recognizing that it is the responsibility of
each election official in the state of Washington to ensure access to
the ballot for all persons who are out of state or overseas in defense
of this great nation or for other purposes, the legislature finds that
it is necessary to examine and use all available secure methods of
ballot transmission and collection in order to secure the voting
franchise for military and overseas voters.
Therefore, notwithstanding any other provisions of Title 29 RCW, a
county may participate in any pilot project sanctioned by the secretary
of state and in compliance with standards and regulations established
by the Federal Voting Assistance Program, United States Department of
Defense, to allow service and overseas voters as defined by RCW
29.01.155 and 29.01.117 to register to vote and cast their votes
electronically, including votes cast over the Internet or the World
Wide Web. As is practicable, votes must be cast and counted in
conformity with the provisions of Title 29 RCW. Election officials
shall rely upon procedures established by the United States Department
of Defense for security, secrecy, and validation of votes, and are not
subject to civil liability or criminal penalty for following these
procedures. Votes transmitted to the election authority under Title 29
RCW over an electronic medium using the Internet or the World Wide Web
are subject to a recount or election contest but not on the grounds
that the vote is invalid or suspect because it was cast over the
Internet or the World Wide Web.