SSB 5499 -
By Senator Benton
NOT ADOPTED 03/12/2005
On page 16, after line 2 of the amendment, insert the following:
"NEW SECTION. Sec. 16 A new section is added to chapter 29A.60
RCW to read as follows:
Before a county auditor may make a final certification of election
returns, the county auditor shall reconcile by precinct the number of
ballots counted from the precinct and the number of voters credited
with having cast a counted ballot. The number of ballots counted and
the number of voters who cast those ballots will always be equal in a
properly administered election. The county auditor shall report by
precinct any variance between the number of ballots and the number of
voters. If the total number of ballots without voters, or voters
without ballots, exceeds the winning margin in an election or primary,
the election or primary as to that position is void. No certificate of
election may be issued. A revote for that position must be held within
sixty days."
Renumber the remaining sections consecutively and correct any internal references accordingly.
EFFECT: (1) Requires that before a county auditor certifies
election returns, they must reconcile the number of ballots counted
with the number of voters credited with having cast a counted ballot;
(2) Requires a revote if the total number of ballots without voters
exceeds the winning margin in an election or primary; and
(3) Requires a revote be held within 60 days.