AN ACT Relating to voter registration; adding a new chapter to Title 29 RCW; repealing RCW 29.07.040; and prescribing penalties.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The intent and purpose of this chapter is to facilitate and encourage voter participation in elections in the state of Washington by enhancing voter registration through an additional means of voter registration known as registration by mail. This process is not meant to replace registration before a registrar but is an alternative to registration in person.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The county auditor shall conduct voter registration within the county pursuant to this chapter.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) A qualified person may register to vote by delivering by mail or otherwise a completed registration form to the county auditor for the county in which the person resides.

(2) If a person mails or delivers a registration form to a county auditor other than the county auditor for the county in which the person resides, the form shall be immediately forwarded to the proper county auditor.

(3) Registration of a qualified person occurs when an accurate and complete registration form is received and processed in the office of the county auditor for the county in which the person resides.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The county auditor shall distribute forms by which a person may register to vote and cancel any previous registration in this state. The county auditor shall keep a supply of voter registration forms in his or her office at all times for political parties and others interested in assisting in voter registration, and shall make every effort to make these forms generally available to the public. The county auditor shall provide voter registration forms to city and town clerks, state offices, schools, fire stations, and any other locations necessary to extend registration opportunities to all areas of the county. After the initial distribution of voter registration forms to a given location, a representative designated by the official in charge of that location shall notify the county auditor of the need for additional voter registration supplies.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. In addition to the information required on the registration form as set out in RCW 29.07.070, when registering to vote by mail under this chapter, the person registering to vote shall provide the following additional information:

(1) His or her driver's license number from a valid Washington state driver's license;

(2) If the registrant does not have a valid Washington state driver's license, he or she shall provide a social security number;

(3) If a registrant does not have a valid Washington state driver's license or a social security number, then the registrant shall provide the number from a valid Washington state identicard.

If a registration by mail form does not have the information required in subsection (1), (2), or (3) of this section the county auditor shall not process the form until the information is provided by the prospective voter.

A voter who wishes to register to vote, but who cannot meet the requirements of this section, may register to vote in person before a deputy registrar as provided in RCW 29.07.065.

After completing the information concerning his or her qualifications, the applicant shall sign a statement in the following form: "I, the undersigned, declare that the facts set forth relating to my qualifications as a voter are true. I further declare that I am a citizen of the United States, that I am not presently denied my civil rights as a result of being convicted of an infamous crime, that I will have lived in this state, county, and precinct thirty days immediately preceding the next election at which I offer to vote, and that I will be at least eighteen years of age at the time of voting."

The applicant shall also sign his or her name upon a separate portion of the voter registration card, to be designated as an initiative signature card, which also contains spaces for his or her surname, followed buy his or her given name or names, the names of the county, state, and town, with post office or street address, the date on which the individual registered, and the name or number of the precinct in which the voter is registered.

The voter registration form shall provide, in a conspicuous place, the following warning: "Any person who knowingly supplies false information on this voter registration form or who knowingly makes a false declaration as to his or her qualifications for registration is guilty of a class C felony punishable by confinement in a state correctional institution for five years, or by a fine in an amount fixed by the court of ten thousand dollars, or by both such confinement and fine."

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. Upon receipt of a completed voter registration form, the county auditor shall immediately examine the form to see that the applicant for registration is not currently registered in that county and shall record on the form the precinct identification, taxing district identification, and other information required by law. The county auditor shall send to the applicant by first class mail a voter registration card identifying his or her current precinct and containing such other information as may be prescribed by the secretary of state. If the voter registration form is incomplete or incorrect, the county auditor shall so notify the applicant, and if necessary, send him or her a new voter registration form. The postal service shall be instructed not to forward this form or any voter registration card to any other address and to return to the county auditor all undelivered forms and voter registration cards. All voter registration cards returned as undeliverable will result in the registration being invalid.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. Any qualified elector temporarily residing outside the county of his or her permanent residence but within the state of Washington, may submit, in the manner provided in this chapter, a registration by mail form to the auditor of the county in which he or she is temporarily residing. Upon receiving the voter registration forms as provided in this chapter, the county auditor shall transmit the forms to the county auditor of the county where the applicant permanently resides. The county auditor of the applicant's place of permanent residence shall immediately process a voter registration form received from another county in the manner provided in RCW 29.07.095.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. The secretary of state shall design a unified voter registration form compatible with existing records, that will permit the applicant to conveniently prepare, on a single card, an original registration, an initiative signature card, a transfer, and a cancellation of any prior registration in this state. The form shall also contain instructions on its use, a notification of filing deadlines, a warning to the applicant of the penalty for knowingly supplying false information, and space for the county auditor to enter the voter's precinct identification, taxing district identification, and registration number.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. The secretary of state shall furnish registration forms necessary to carry out the registration of voters as provided by this chapter without cost to the respective counties. The secretary of state shall develop the forms in consultation with the county auditors.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. The secretary of state, as chief elections, officer, shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 34.04 RCW and not inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter to:

(1) Provide the specifications, including style, form, color, quality, and dimensions of the cards, records, forms, lists, and other supplies to be used in recording and maintaining records for voter registration by mail;

(2) Establish standards and procedures for the maintenance of voter registration by mail records on electronic data processing systems and the use of voter registration information in the conduct of an election; and

(3) Facilitate the registration of voters by mail in an orderly manner and assist county auditors in the performance of their responsibilities under this chapter.

The secretary of state shall provide planning, coordination, training, and other assistance to county auditors to facilitate the maintenance of voter registration by mail records on electronic data processing systems and the use of voter registration by mail records in the conduct of elections. All rules adopted under this section shall be done with the consultation of the county auditors.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 11. Violations of this chapter shall be prosecuted pursuant to RCW 29.85.190, 29.85.200, or any other applicable sections of chapter 29.85 RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 12. Sections 1 through 11 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 29 RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 13. Section 29.07.040, chapter 9, Laws of 1965, section 6, chapter 202, Laws of 1971 ex. sess. and RCW 29.07.040 are each repealed.