Title: An act relating to electronic voter registration.

Brief Description: Providing for electronic voter registration.

Sponsors: Representatives Hunt, Chandler, Green, Kretz, Ormsby, Armstrong, Miloscia, Appleton, Kenney, Goodman and Moeller; by request of Secretary of State.

Brief History: Passed House: 2/28/07, 91-6.

Committee Activity: Government Operations & Elections: 3/26/07 [DP-WM].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS & ELECTIONS

Majority Report: Do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.Signed by Senators Fairley, Chair; Oemig, Vice Chair; Roach, Ranking Minority Member; Kline, Pridemore and Swecker.

Staff: Amy Van Horn (786-7784)

Background: Voter registration applications are available online at a number of sites, including the Secretary of State's web site and various county auditor web sites. However, the applicant cannot actually apply online. Rather, the applicant must print the application and mail or deliver it to the county auditor or the Secretary of State.

Summary of Bill: A person may submit an electronic voter registration application through the Secretary of State's web site. Applicants must have a Washington State driver's license or Washington State identification card. For each electronic application, the Secretary of State must obtain a digital copy of the applicant's driver's license or identification card signature from the Department of Licensing.

Electronic voter registration applicants must attest that the information provided on the application is true, and must agree to the use of the driver's license or identification card signature for voter registration purposes. The application is otherwise treated as a registration by mail.

The Secretary of State may employ additional security measures to ensure the accuracy and integrity of electronic voter registration applications.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect on January 1, 2008.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: PRO: This option will only be available if you have a Washington driver's license or ID, so it will only be available to people who have already appeared in person at a licensing office. This is really a matter of getting government up to speed with the public who do so many things online already. The public is already trying to do this now. The bill would also encourage more students to vote, because they do almost all of their business online. The bill had bipartisan support in the House, and has been endorsed by the Department of Defense and the Federal Voting Assistance Program.

Persons Testifying: PRO: Representative Hunt, prime sponsor; Katie Blinn, Assistant Director of Elections, Washington Secretary of State; Shane Hamlin, Legislative Liaison, Washington Secretary of State; Camille Andersen, Washington Student Lobby.