H-2093.1                  _______________________________________________

                                             SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1861

                              _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              53rd Legislature                             1993 Regular Session

By House Committee on State Government (originally sponsored by Representatives Orr, Reams, Anderson, Vance, Padden, Schoesler, Sheahan, Fuhrman and Morton)

Read first time 03/03/93. 

Allowing reopening of polling places to which access was obstructed.

          AN ACT Relating to elections; and adding a new section to chapter 29.04 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 29.04 RCW to read as follows:

          If during a primary or special or general election access to a polling place is obstructed so that voters cannot gain access to the polling place and that access is obstructed for more than one hour, the county auditor may reopen voting at the polling place or both reopen polling and move the polling place for the voters who would ordinarily have used the inaccessible polling place.  The reopening of polling may be for no longer than access to the polling place was obstructed.  If the county auditor reopens polling under this section, neither the auditor nor another person may divulge the tally of votes cast in the county on an office or measure that would have been voted on at the inaccessible polling place until the reopened polling is closed.  The reopening of polling may be conducted on dates or hours other than those established for the primary or election that was being conducted when the inaccessibility occurred.  The reopening may not occur later than the day prior to the date on which the results of the primary or election must be certified.

          This section does not apply to a general election in a polling place in which a federal office is being voted upon.

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