AN ACT Relating to a statewide survey of the ballot rejection practices of county auditors and canvassing boards; and adding a new section to chapter 29A.60 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 29A.60 RCW to read as follows:

Every odd-numbered year, the secretary of state must conduct and publish a statewide survey of voted ballot rejection rates and reasons for those rejections by county auditors and canvassing boards. The secretary of state must collect data from reconciliation reports and county auditors in order to compare county and statewide averages for rates of rejected ballots and reasons for those ballots being rejected. The data collected must include rejection rates and reasons for rejection of voted ballots for all elections. The survey must include an analysis of current practices by county auditors and canvassing boards in the acceptance and rejection of ballots, and include recommendations for improvements that minimize rejections in those practices, with a goal of statewide standardization where applicable. The results must also be analyzed and compared with available national data and recognized best practices. The secretary of state's recommendations and reports must be made available to the public.

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