BILL REQ. #:  S-0807.1 

Read first time 01/28/2005.   Referred to Committee on Government Operations & Elections.

     AN ACT Relating to information for out-of-state, overseas, and service voters; and amending RCW 29A.40.150.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 29A.40.150 and 2003 c 111 s 1015 are each amended to read as follows:
     The secretary of state shall produce and furnish envelopes and instructions for out-of-state voters, overseas voters, and service voters to the county auditors. The information on the outer return envelopes must include, but is not limited to, statements that:
     (1) Return postage is free;
     (2) The date written by the voter on the return envelope is considered the date of mailing;
     (3) The envelope must be signed by election day;
     (4) The signed declaration on the envelope is the equivalent of voter registration;
     (5) Faxed voted ballots are allowed if the voter agrees to waive secrecy;
     (6) Faxed documents must be accompanied by an original signed ballot by the day of election certification, which is fifteen days after the election;
     (7) E-mail is available under the federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, which is administered at the county level, and allows for a ballot to be e-mailed to a voter, which the voter may print out, vote, and return by mail.