Subject of Possible Rule Making: Declarations of candidacy, vote by mail, absentee and provisional ballots and envelopes, polling places, canvassing and certification, and election recounts.

     Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 29A.04.611.

     Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Election legislation passed by the 2005 legislature and to clarify issues that arose from the recounts of the 2004 general election for governor.

     Process for Developing New Rule:       Negotiated rule making.

     Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Sheryl Moss, Certification and Training Manager, P.O. Box 40232, Olympia, WA 98504-0232, phone (360) 902-4146, fax (360) 664-4619.

May 18, 2005

Steve Excell

Assistant Secretary of State