BILL REQ. #:  H-1491.1 

Read first time 02/26/2003.   Referred to Committee on State Government.

     AN ACT Relating to the number of voters in a precinct; and amending RCW 29.04.040.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 29.04.040 and 1999 c 158 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) ((No paper ballot precinct may contain more than three hundred active registered voters.)) The county legislative authority may divide, alter, or combine precincts ((so that,)) whenever practicable((, over-populated precincts shall contain no more than two hundred fifty active registered voters in anticipation of future growth)).
     (((2))) Precinct boundaries may be altered at any time as long as sufficient time exists prior to a given election for the necessary procedural steps to be honored. Except as permitted under subsection (((5))) (4) of this section, no precinct boundaries may be changed during the period starting on the thirtieth day prior to the first day for candidates to file for the primary election and ending with the day of the general election.
     (((3) Precincts in which voting machines or electronic voting devices are used may contain as many as nine hundred active registered voters.))
     (2) The number of poll-site ballot counting devices at each polling place is at the discretion of the auditor. The number of devices must be adequate to meet the expected voter turnout.
     (((4))) (3) On petition of twenty-five or more voters resident more than ten miles from any polling site, the county legislative authority shall establish a separate voting precinct therefor.
     (((5))) (4) The county auditor shall temporarily adjust precinct boundaries when a city or town annexes unincorporated territory to the city or town. The adjustment shall be made as soon as possible after the approval of the annexation. The temporary adjustment shall be limited to the minimum changes necessary to accommodate the addition of the territory to the city or town and shall remain in effect only until precinct boundary modifications reflecting the annexation are adopted by the county legislative authority.
     The county legislative authority may establish by ordinance a limitation on the maximum number of active registered voters in each precinct within its jurisdiction. The limitation may be different for precincts based upon the method of voting used for such precincts ((and the number may be less than the number established by law, but in no case may the number exceed that authorized by law)).
     The county legislative authority of each county in the state hereafter formed shall, at their first session, divide their respective counties into election precincts ((with two hundred fifty active registered voters or less)) and establish the boundaries of the precincts. The county auditor shall thereupon designate the voting place for each such precinct.
     (((6))) (5) In determining the number of active registered voters for the purposes of this section, persons who are ongoing absentee voters under RCW ((29.36.013)) 29.36.240 shall not be counted. Nothing in this subsection may be construed as altering the vote tallying requirements of RCW 29.62.090.