Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

State Government & Tribal Affairs Committee

HB 1752

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Brief Summary of Bill

Requires that major party observers be allowed close enough to the election workers and process to provide meaningful oversight.

Background:

Major political parties have a responsibility to provide observers to monitor the election process. Prior to an election, the County Auditor or County Election Department must contact the major political parties and inform them of how many observers are needed to the election. A political party is designated as a major political party if one of its nominees received more than 5 percent of the total votes case for President, United States Senator, or a statewide office in a general election in an even numbered year.

Major party observers are required to receive training prior to an election. An observer should observe all aspects of the election process from the printing of ballots through the certification of the election. Observers cannot touch or interfere with the processing of ballots. He or she may be as close to the process as space allows.

Summary of Bill:

Major party observers must be allowed, if they choose, to witness the duplication of damaged ballots.

Major party observers must be allowed close enough to election workers to provide meaningful oversight of the processing of ballots. A major party observer should be able to view individual ballots, hear conversations between election workers, and observe the selection of ballots for a random check.

Designated observers of a recount must be close enough to the election workers to provide meaningful oversight of the process, including viewing the individual ballots.