BILL REQ. #:  S-0186.1 

Read first time 01/24/13.   Referred to Committee on Governmental Operations.

     AN ACT Relating to the signing and receipt of ballots; and reenacting and amending RCW 29A.40.091 and 29A.40.110.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 29A.40.091 and 2011 c 349 s 17, 2011 c 348 s 3, 2011 c 182 s 1, and 2011 c 10 s 39 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
     (1) The county auditor shall send each voter a ballot, a security envelope in which to conceal the ballot after voting, a larger envelope in which to return the security envelope, a declaration that the voter must sign, and instructions on how to obtain information about the election, how to mark the ballot, and how to return the ballot to the county auditor.
     (2) The voter must swear under penalty of perjury that he or she meets the qualifications to vote, and has not voted in any other jurisdiction at this election. The declaration must clearly inform the voter that it is illegal to vote if he or she is not a United States citizen; it is illegal to vote if he or she has been convicted of a felony and has not had his or her voting rights restored; and it is illegal to cast a ballot or sign a ((return envelope)) ballot declaration on behalf of another voter. The ballot materials must provide space for the voter ((must)) to sign the declaration, indicate the date on which the ballot was voted, and ((sign the declaration. The ballot materials must also contain a space so that the voter may)) include a telephone number.
     (3) For overseas and service voters, the signed declaration ((on the return envelope)) constitutes the equivalent of a voter registration for the election or primary ((for which the ballot has been issued)). Return envelopes for overseas and service voters must enable the ballot to be returned postage free if mailed through the United States postal service, United States armed forces postal service, or the postal service of a United States foreign embassy under 39 U.S.C. 3406.
     (4) The voter must be instructed to either return or mail the ballot to the county auditor so that the ballot is received by the county auditor no later than 8:00 p.m. the day of the election or primary((, or mail the ballot to the county auditor with a postmark no later than the day of the election or primary)). A ballot from an out-of-state, overseas, or service voter may be counted if it was postmarked no later than the day of the primary or election. Service and overseas voters must be provided with instructions and a ((secrecy cover)) privacy sheet for returning the ballot and signed declaration by fax or e-mail. A voted ballot and signed declaration returned by fax or e-mail must be received by 8:00 p.m. on the day of the election or primary.

Sec. 2   RCW 29A.40.110 and 2011 c 349 s 18, 2011 c 348 s 4, and 2011 c 10 s 41 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
     (1) The opening and subsequent processing of return envelopes for any primary or election may begin upon receipt. The tabulation of absentee ballots must not commence until after 8:00 p.m. on the day of the primary or election.
     (2) All received return envelopes must be placed in secure locations from the time of delivery to the county auditor until their subsequent opening. After opening the return envelopes, the county canvassing board or its designated representatives shall place all of the ballots in secure storage until processing. Ballots may be taken from the inner security envelopes and all the normal procedural steps may be performed to prepare these ballots for tabulation.
     (3) The canvassing board, or its designated representatives, shall examine the postmark on the return envelope and signature on the declaration before processing the ballot. The ballot ((must either be received no later than 8:00 p.m. on the day of the primary or election, or must be)) may be counted only if the return envelope was signed by the date of the primary or election for which it was issued and the ballot is in the office of the county auditor by 8:00 p.m. on the day of the primary or election for which it was issued. A ballot from an out-of-state, overseas, or service voter may be counted if it was postmarked no later than the day of the primary or election. All personnel assigned to verify signatures must receive training on statewide standards for signature verification. Personnel shall verify that the voter's signature on the ballot declaration is the same as the signature of that voter in the registration files of the county. Verification may be conducted by an automated verification system approved by the secretary of state. A variation between the signature of the voter on the ballot declaration and the signature of that voter in the registration files due to the substitution of initials or the use of common nicknames is permitted so long as the surname and handwriting are clearly the same.
     (4) If the postmark is missing or illegible, the date on the ballot declaration to which the voter has attested determines the validity, as to the time of voting, for that ballot. For overseas voters and service voters, the date on the declaration to which the voter has attested determines the validity, as to the time of voting, for that ballot. Any overseas voter or service voter may return the signed declaration and voted ballot by fax or e-mail by 8:00 p.m. on the day of the primary or election, and the county auditor must use established procedures to maintain the secrecy of the ballot.