5561 AMH CHAB KERR 098

SB 5561 - H AMD TO H AMD (5561 AMH GREE KERR 085) 679

By Representative Chandler

   Beginning on page 1, at the beginning of line 3 of the amendment, strike all material through "2008."" on page 6, line 37, and insert the following:

   ""NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 29A.08 to read as follows:

   (1) The legislature finds that one of the most fundamental rights is the right to vote, and it is the duty of government to actively encourage voter registration and to make this opportunity widely available to eligible citizens. It is the intent of the legislature to facilitate this process by providing counties with the option of allowing voter registration up to and on election day as a method to encourage voter registration and to improve voter turn-out.

   (2) The secretary of state shall develop and adopt rules to allow voter registration from the end of the late registration period, as defined in RCW 29A.08.145, up to and on election day for qualifying counties. The secretary of state has final decision-making regarding participating counties.

   (3) Rules developed must include, but are not limited to:

   (a) Criteria for determining qualifying counties;

   (b) Target dates for participating counties to implement procedural safeguards to protect the integrity of the election process and the voter registration database; and

   (c) Provisions to ensure that in participating counties, voter registration materials submitted prior to the close of the registration period are verified, and those votes counted, prior to verifying and counting the votes of those individuals who choose to register in the late registration period.

   (4) The secretary of state may review the election process in any participating county to verify compliance with the rule and required procedures.

   NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. This act applies only to any primary, special, or general election conducted after January 1, 2009, except that it applies to the presidential primary election of 2008.""

EFFECT: Requires the Secretary of State to develop and implement a process to allow qualifying counties to provide voter registration up to and on Election Day. The Secretary of State must develop criteria for determining qualifying counties and has final decision-making for participating counties. Any county may participate providing they meet developed criteria.