HOUSE BILL REPORT

REHB 1433

BYRepresentatives Wineberry, R. Fisher, McLean, Anderson, Nelson, Wang, Inslee, R. King and Todd

Extending the voter registration period.

House Committe on State Government

Majority Report:  Do pass with amendments.  (10)

      Signed by Representatives R. Fisher, Chair; Anderson, Vice Chair; McLean, Ranking Republican Member; Hankins, R. King, Morris, O'Brien, Rector, Sayan and Silver.

House Staff:Kenneth Hirst (786-7105)

Rereferred House Committee on Appropriations

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended by Committee on State Government.  (26)

      Signed by Representatives Locke, Chair; Grant, Vice Chair; H. Sommers, Vice Chair; Silver, Ranking Republican Member; Youngsman, Assistant Ranking Republican Member; Appelwick, Belcher, Bowman, Braddock, Brekke, Dorn, Doty, Ebersole, Ferguson, Hine, Holland, May, McLean, Peery, Rust, Sayan, Spanel, Sprenkle, Valle, Wang and Wineberry.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  (2)

      Signed by Representatives Nealey and Padden.

House Staff:      Randy Acker (786-7136)

AS PASSED HOUSE JANUARY 10, 1990

BACKGROUND:

State law requires that the registration files of precincts be closed against original voter registrations or transfers for 30 days immediately preceding each primary or election.  At least five days before the precinct files are closed, the county auditor must publish a notice of the closing of the files.

SUMMARY:

A qualified but unregistered elector desiring to vote in a primary or election after the close of the precinct registration files for that primary or election may register in person in the office of the county auditor or at a location designated by the auditor.  To vote in that primary or election, the elector must register not later than the 15th day immediately preceding the primary or election and may vote only by absentee ballot.  Upon registering, the person must immediately apply for an absentee ballot.  The person's registration form and absentee ballot application are to be promptly transmitted to the county auditor. The county auditor must publish a notice regarding this special registration and absentee ballot voting procedure when the auditor announces the closing of the precinct files.

No person may vote in a precinct polling place at a primary or election unless he or she has registered to vote at least 30 days before that primary or election.

Fiscal Note:      Requested February 6, 1989.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    (State Government) Ralph Munro, Secretary of State; Dean Williams, Snohomish County Auditor; Liz Luce, Clark County Auditor; Chuck Sauvage, Common Cause; Lael Braymer, League of Women Voters of Washington; Margot Beutler, Human SERVE Campaign; Larry Eason, Washington Public Interest Research Group; John Burbank, Washington State Labor Council; Ken Housden, Chelan County Auditor.

(Appropriations) Representative Jesse Wineberry; Don Whiting and Gary McIntosh, Office of the Secretary of State; Lael Braymer, League of Women Voters; Fred Saeger, Washington Association of County Officials.

House Committee - Testified Against:      (State Government) Scott Sigmund, Washington Federation of State Employees.

(Appropriations) No one.

House Committee - Testimony For:    (State Government) (1) Oregon's registration files close 20 days before an election and notices regarding this closing, not Washington's 30-day closure, dominate the media in Clark County causing a great deal of confusion.  The bill will reduce the frustration of Clark County residents.  (2) The 15th day registration provision provides adequate time for placing registrants in precincts, sending registration cards, and investigating any registration cards returned by the postal service as being undeliverable.  (3) The state should assist people exercise their right to vote.  Registration and voting trends indicate that the current system is not adequate.

(Appropriations) The level of registration and voting in recent elections shows that the current approach to voter registration is inadequate. This measure will make it possible for greater numbers of people to get out and vote and could help reverse the trend of declining voter registration.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      (State Government) The registration and absentee ballot procedure established by the bill is too inconvenient.

(Appropriations) None.

VOTE ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      Yeas 87; Nays 8; Excused 3.

Voting Nay: Representatives Ballard, Brough, Chandler, Fuhrman, Nealey, Padden, S. Wilson and Wolfe

Excused:    Representatives Appelwick, Ferguson and Locke