AN
ACT Relating to elections; amending RCW 29.62.020; and creating new sections.
BE IT
ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 1. The
legislature finds that:
(1)
The current statute relating to the timing of the primary election may not
allow adequate time for absentee voters, especially military personnel living
overseas, to review the candidates and issues appearing on the general election
ballot before casting their votes;
(2)
The proliferation of permanent absentee voters presents increasing difficulties
for county auditors to canvass ballots in a timely way, which in turn may
adversely affect the general election campaign of a candidate involved in a
close primary race; and
(3)
A delay in counting votes and processing ballots negatively impacts the
public's right to timely election results and thus harms our electoral process.
Therefore,
the mission of the task force established by section 2 of this act includes,
but is not limited to, a review of issues relating to the timing of the primary
election, the canvassing of ballots, and the certification of election
results. The task force shall consider alternates to the current statutes that
relate to these issues, and shall provide recommendations accordingly.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 2. A
task force to study and make recommendations regarding the date for primary
elections is established. The task force membership consists of the following
thirteen members:
(1)
Three citizen members from across the state, appointed jointly by the secretary
of state, the president of the senate, and the co-speakers of the house of
representatives;
(2)
Two members of the senate, one from each of the largest two caucuses, appointed
by the president of the senate, and two members of the house of
representatives, one from each of the largest two caucuses, appointed by the
co-speakers of the house of representatives;
(3)
The secretary of state or the secretary's designee;
(4)
Three county elections officials designated by the Washington Association of
County Officials; and
(5)
A representative of each major political party in the state, appointed by the
chair of the state central committee for the party.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 3. The
task force shall report its recommendations to the governor, the secretary of
state, and the appropriate standing committees of the senate and house of
representatives no later than December 1, 1999. The task force terminates on December
31, 1999.
Sec.
4. RCW
29.62.020 and 1995 c 139 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)
((No later than the tenth day after a special election or primary and no
later than the fifteenth day after a general election, the county auditor shall
convene the county canvassing board to process the absentee ballots and canvass
the votes cast at that primary or election.)) At least every third day
after a special election, primary, or general election and before certification
of the election results, except Sundays and legal holidays, the county auditor
shall convene the county canvassing board or their designees to process
absentee ballots and canvass the votes cast at that special election, primary,
or general election, if the county auditor is in possession of more than
twenty-five ballots that have yet to be canvassed. The county auditor may use
his or her discretion in determining when to convene the canvassing board or
their designees during the final four days before the certification of election
results in order to protect the secrecy of any ballot.
Each
absentee ballot previously not canvassed that was received by the county
auditor two days or more before the convening of the canvassing board or their
designees and that either was received by the county auditor before the closing
of the polls on the day of the special election, primary, or general election
for which it was issued, or that bears a date of mailing on or before the
special election, primary, or general election for which it was issued, must be
processed at that time. The tabulation of votes that results from that day's
canvass must be made available to the general public immediately upon
completion of the canvass.
(2)
On the tenth day after a special election or a primary and on the fifteenth day
after a general election, the canvassing board shall complete the canvass and
certify the results. Each absentee ballot that was returned before the closing
of the polls on the date of the primary or election for which it was issued,
and each absentee ballot with a date of mailing on or before the date of the
primary or election for which it was issued and received on or before the date
on which the primary or election is certified, shall be included in the canvass
report.
(((2)))
(3) At the request of any caucus of the state legislature, the county
auditor shall transmit copies of all unofficial returns of state and
legislative primaries or elections prepared by or for the county canvassing
board to either the secretary of the senate or the chief clerk of the house.
