BILL REQ. #:  S-0100.1 

Read first time 01/20/11.   Referred to Committee on Government Operations, Tribal Relations & Elections.

     TO THE HONORABLE BARACK H. OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:
     We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:
     WHEREAS, Congress is considering new legislation to establish a federally mandated, universal, government run voter registration system; and
     WHEREAS, Such a federal mandate would dangerously erode state control of election procedures; and
     WHEREAS, States, rather than the federal government, should have the responsibility of managing the election process; and
     WHEREAS, Appointed federal bureaucrats in Washington D.C. should not be able to override the decisions of elected state legislators and local election officials; and
     WHEREAS, The protection of the integrity of our election process must be a critical priority in any election reform legislation; and
     WHEREAS, The Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington oppose any further federal takeover of local election processes; and
     WHEREAS, The Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington oppose any federal unfunded mandates in the administration of elections;
     NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that, if Congress makes any grants of money conditional on the voluntary adoption of new voter registration or voting procedures, two of those procedures required to qualify for federal funding be:
     (1) A requirement for voters to present a government-issued photo identification at the polls and for voters to enclose a copy of such identification with any absentee ballot; and
     (2) A requirement that all new voter registrations include the requirement that the registrant present proof of citizenship before the registrant is declared eligible to vote.     
     BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Barack H. Obama, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.