SENATE BILL REPORT
SB 6322
As Reported By Senate Committee On:
State & Local Government, January 28, 2002
Ways & Means, February 12, 2002
Title: An act relating to methods and procedures for vote recording and reporting.
Brief Description: Updating vote recording and reporting.
Sponsors: Senators Gardner, McCaslin, Fairley, Roach, Keiser, Winsley, Hale and Oke; by request of Secretary of State.
Brief History:
Committee Activity: State & Local Government: 1/17/02, 1/28/02. [DP-WM, DNP]
Ways & Means: 2/11/02, 2/12/02 [DPS].
SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Majority Report: Do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.
Signed by Senators Gardner, Chair; Fairley, Vice Chair; Hale, Haugen, Keiser, Kline and Swecker.
Minority Report: Do not pass.
Signed by Senators Horn, McCaslin and T. Sheldon.
Staff: Mac Nicholson (786‑7445)
SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS
Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6322 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.
Signed by Senators Brown, Chair; Regala, Vice Chair; Fairley, Vice Chair; Hewitt, Kline, Kohl‑Welles, Long, Parlette, Poulsen, Rasmussen, Rossi, B. Sheldon, Snyder, Spanel, Thibaudeau, Winsley and Zarelli.
Staff: Steve Jones (786-7440)
Background: Voting devices that use punched holes to record the voter's choices can be used in elections. Voting devices and vote tallying systems need not be approved specifically by the Federal Elections Commission.
Summary of Substitute Bill: The use of voting devices that use punched holes to record the voter's choices are prohibited for elections in this state as of January 1, 2007, if federal funding is provided by January 1, 2005. Approval by the Federal Elections Commission is a prerequisite for Secretary of State approval of voting devices and vote tallying systems. The county auditor must provide proof that its voting system and component software are state certified. A gross misdemeanor of tampering with use of electronic voting or recording systems is created. Voting system instruction requirements for election officials are eliminated.
Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill: The prohibition on punch card voting is made contingent on the receipt of federal funding.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Testimony For: Punch card voting technology is becoming obsolete and it is increasingly difficult to find replacement parts and punch cards. Tampering and miscounting problems associated with punch card voting systems will be eliminated. Eliminating punch card voting systems will help secure federal funding for updating voting and recording systems.
Testimony Against: If federal funding doesn't come through, then counties will be unable to purchase and maintain a new system.
Testified: PRO: Sam Reed, Dean Logan, Dave Elliot, Secretary of State's Office; PRO with concerns: Suzanne Sinclair, Wash. State Assoc. of County Auditors; Sharon Wylie, Clark County.