BILL REQ. #:  S-1494.1 

Read first time 02/16/2005.   Referred to Committee on Government Operations & Elections.

     AN ACT Relating to canvassing ballots or voting devices; and amending RCW 29A.60.210 and 29A.60.190.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 29A.60.210 and 2003 c 111 s 1521 are each amended to read as follows:
     Whenever the canvassing board finds, or it is brought to the attention of the canvassing board by elections staff, a third party, or other individual, that there is an apparent discrepancy or an inconsistency in the returns of a primary or election, the board may recanvass the ballots or voting devices in any precincts of the county. The canvassing board shall conduct any necessary recanvass activity on ((or)), before, or after the last day to certify the primary or election ((and)) in order to correct any error and document the correction of any error that it finds.
     In the event that the canvassing board recanvasses the ballots or voting devices after it certifies the results under RCW 29A.60.190 for the primary or general election, the certified results by the canvassing board shall not be considered final. The canvassing board has up to thirty days after the primary or general election to recertify the results.

Sec. 2   RCW 29A.60.190 and 2004 c 266 s 18 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Except as provided in RCW 29A.60.210, the county canvassing board shall complete the canvass and certify the results on the tenth day after a special election or primary and on the fifteenth day after a general election, the county canvassing board shall complete the canvass and certify the results. Each absentee ballot that was returned before the closing of the polls on the date of the primary or election for which it was issued, and each absentee ballot with a postmark on or before the date of the primary or election for which it was issued and received on or before the date on which the primary or election is certified, must be included in the canvass report.
     (2) At the request of a caucus of the state legislature, the county auditor shall transmit copies of all unofficial returns of state and legislative primaries or elections prepared by or for the county canvassing board to either the secretary of the senate or the chief clerk of the house of representatives.