BILL REQ. #:  Z-0982.1 

Read first time 01/11/10.   Referred to Committee on Government Operations & Elections.

     AN ACT Relating to overseas and service voters; amending RCW 29A.40.150; and adding a new section to chapter 29A.40 RCW.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 29A.40.150 and 2009 c 415 s 12 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) An overseas or service voter may receive a ballot by fax, e-mail, or other electronic means. An overseas or service voter may return a voted ballot by fax or e-mail if the voter's signature on the declaration accompanies the ballot. The county auditor must establish procedures to protect the secrecy of the voted ballot.
     (2) An overseas or service voter may request to receive all future ballots by fax, e-mail, or other available electronic means. An overseas or service voter may also request to terminate receiving ballots by postal mail.
     (3) The ((information on the envelopes or)) instructions for overseas voters and service voters must include the contact information for the county auditor's office and must explain that:
     (((1))) (a) Return postage is free if the ballot is mailed through the United States postal service, United States armed forces postal service, or the postal service of a United States foreign embassy;
     (((2))) (b) The date of the signature is considered the date of mailing;
     (((3))) (c) The ((envelope)) declaration must be signed ((by)) no later than election day;
     (((4))) (d) If the voter is not already registered to vote, the signed declaration ((on the envelope)) is the equivalent of voter registration;
     (((5))) (e) A voter may ((fax a voted ballot and the accompanying envelope if the voter agrees to waive secrecy. The ballot will be counted if the original documents are received before certification of the election)) request to receive all future ballots by fax, e-mail, or other available electronic means; ((and
     (6) A voter may obtain a ballot via electronic mail, which the voter may print out, vote, and return by mail. In order to facilitate the electronic acquisition of ballots by overseas and service voters, the ballot instructions shall include the web site of the office of the secretary of state)) (f) A voter may return a ballot and signed declarations by fax or e-mail; and
     (g) A voter may contact the county auditor's office to confirm that the ballot was received.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 29A.40 RCW to read as follows:
     An overseas or service voter may register to vote, request a ballot, or transmit a ballot using forms or methods provided by the United States department of defense or the United States election assistance commission.