BILL REQ. #:  H-3515.1 

Read first time 01/21/14.   Referred to Committee on Government Operations & Elections.

     AN ACT Relating to adding transparency to elections through the installation of web camera surveillance systems; adding a new section to chapter 29A.60 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature recognizes that citizens demand integrity and transparency in elections. Therefore, the legislature intends to provide better transparency in elections by using technology to allow for monitoring of ballot processing during elections.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 29A.60 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) County auditors are required to install a web camera surveillance system in counting centers. The web camera surveillance system must be streamed live to the county auditor's web page. The system must have a date and time stamp feature and must be capable of recording forty-eight hours or more. The cameras must be installed as a fixed mount with no motion and in a way to provide the best view possible without compromising ballot secrecy. At a minimum, cameras must be placed in the following ballot processing locations in the counting center: Sorting areas, duplication area, counting and tabulation areas, and the areas where unvoted and voted ballots are stored.
     (2) Cameras must be active twenty-four hours a day beginning with the process of insertion of ballots in preparation for mailing to military/overseas voters before a primary, an election, or special election and ending upon certification of the election or election recounts.