Date Adopted: December 3, 2003.

     Purpose: Establish uniform procedures and practices on signatures that do not match on absentee ballots.

     Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 29.04.080.

      Adopted under notice filed as WSR 03-18-022 on August 25, 2003.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 0;      Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.

December 12, 2003

Steve Excell

Assistant Secretary of State

OTS-6526.1

NEW SECTION
WAC 434-240-245   Procedure for signatures that don't match.   If the signature on the return envelope of an absentee ballot is not the same as the signature of the voter on the registration file pursuant to RCW 29.36.310 and WAC 434-240-240, the auditor shall either:

     (1) Send the voter a voter registration form and a notice asking for the voter to update their signature for the voter registration file by filling out a new registration form and forwarding it to the auditor; or

     (2) Contact the voter directly and inform them that the signature on their return envelope does not match and that the voter may update their signature by filling out a new voter registration form.

     If the signature is not the same because the name is different, the auditor shall send the voter a voter registration form and notice directing the voter to complete the form, including the appropriate steps to change their name on the voter registration files or complete a name change pursuant to RCW 29.10.051.

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