SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6639

As Reported By Senate Committee On:

Government Operations & Elections, February 3, 2004

Title: An act relating to the time for signing and receipt of absentee and mail ballots.

Brief Description: Requiring absentee ballots to reach the auditor by election day.

Sponsors: Senators Roach, Benton, Schmidt, Esser, Mulliken, Stevens, McCaslin, Haugen and Kline.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Government Operations & Elections: 1/30/04, 2/3/04 [DPS].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS & ELECTIONS

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6639 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators Roach, Chair; Stevens, Vice Chair; Berkey, Fairley, Horn and McCaslin.

Staff: Diane Smith (786-7410)

Background: The time requirement for returning an absentee ballot is to mail it no later than the day of election or primary. This can result in those absentee ballots mailed on the day of election or primary arriving at the county auditor's office several days after the date of mailing.

Summary of Substitute Bill: For an absentee ballot to be counted, the identification envelope must be signed by the date of election or primary and be in the county auditor's office before the polls close on election or primary day.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill: The substitute bill makes the technical corrections required by passage of the bill in the 2003 session that reconfigured Title 29.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: None.

Testimony Against: None.

Testified: No one.