[atlas:bill]

AN ACT Relating to absentee ballots; and amending RCW 29.36.010.

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

Sec. 1. RCW 29.36.010 and 1991 c 81 s 29 are each amended to read as follows:

Any registered voter of the state or any out-of-state voter, overseas voter, or service voter may vote by absentee ballot in any general election, special election, or primary in the manner provided in this chapter. Out-of-state voters, overseas voters, and service voters are authorized to cast the same ballots, including those for special elections, as a registered voter of the state would receive under this chapter.

(1) Except as provided in subsections (2) and (3) of this section, in RCW 29.36.013, and in RCW 29.36.170, a registered voter or elector desiring to cast an absentee ballot must request the absentee ballot from his or her county auditor no earlier than forty-five days nor later than ((~~the~~)) fifteen days before any election or primary. Except as provided in subsection (3) of this section and in RCW 29.36.170, the request may be made orally in person, by telephone, or in writing. An application or request for an absentee ballot made under the authority of any federal statute or regulation shall be considered and given the same effect as a request for an absentee ballot under this chapter.

(2) For any registered voter, a request for an absentee ballot for a primary shall be honored as a request for an absentee ballot for the following general election if the voter so indicates in his or her request. For any out-of-state voter, overseas voter, or service voter, a request for an absentee ballot for a primary election shall also be honored as a request for an absentee ballot for the following general election.

(3) A voter admitted to a hospital no earlier than five days before a primary or election and confined to the hospital on election day may apply by messenger for an absentee ballot on the day of the primary or election if a signed statement from the hospital administrator, or designee, verifying the voter's date of admission and status as a patient in the hospital on the day of the primary or election is attached to the voter's written application for an absentee ballot.

(4) In a voter's request for an absentee ballot, the voter shall state the address to which the absentee ballot should be sent. A request for an absentee ballot from an out-of-state voter, overseas voter, or service voter shall state the address of that elector's last residence for voting purposes in the state of Washington and either a written application or the oath on the return envelope shall include a declaration of the other qualifications of the applicant as an elector of this state. A request for an absentee ballot from any other voter shall state the address at which that voter is currently registered to vote in the state of Washington or the county auditor shall verify such information from the voter registration records of the county.

(5) A request for an absentee ballot from a registered voter who is within this state shall be made directly to the auditor of the county in which the voter is registered. An absentee ballot request from a registered voter who is temporarily outside this state or from an out-of-state voter, overseas voter, or service voter may be made either to the appropriate county auditor or to the secretary of state, who shall promptly forward the request to the appropriate county auditor. No person, organization, or association may distribute absentee ballot applications within this state that contain any return address other than that of the appropriate county auditor.

(6) A person may request an absentee ballot for use by the person as a registered voter and may request an absentee ballot on behalf of any member of that person's immediate family who is a registered voter for use by the family member. As a means of ensuring that a person who requests an absentee ballot is requesting the ballot for only that person or a member of the person's immediate family, the secretary of state shall adopt rules prescribing the circumstances under which an auditor: May require a person who requests an absentee ballot to identify the date of birth of the voter for whom the ballot is requested; and may deny a request which is not accompanied by this information.