SENATE BILL REPORT

HB 2567

As Reported by Senate Committee On:

State Government, Tribal Relations & Elections, February 21, 2018

Title: An act relating to prohibiting the names of county auditors and the secretary of state in their official capacity on election materials.

Brief Description: Prohibiting the names of county auditors and the secretary of state in their official capacity on election materials.

Sponsors: Representatives Shea, Hudgins, McDonald, Pike, Kraft, McCaslin, Volz, Irwin and Taylor.

Brief History: Passed House: 2/08/18, 98-0.

Committee Activity: State Government, Tribal Relations & Elections: 2/19/18, 2/21/18 [DP].

Majority Report: Do pass.

Signed by Senators Hunt, Chair; Kuderer, Vice Chair; Miloscia, Ranking Member; Saldaña and Zeiger.

Staff: Samuel Brown (786-7470)

Background: Voters' Pamphlets. The Secretary is required to publish a voters' pamphlet for each general election in which at least one statewide measure or office will appear on the ballot. The Secretary determines the format and layout of the voters' pamphlet.

State voters' pamphlets must contain a candidate's statement, photograph, and contact information. For each statewide issue on the ballot, the state voter's pamphlet must contain an explanatory statement of the issue, argument statements for and against the proposed measure, and a fiscal impact statement. Contact information for the Public Disclosure Commission and for major political parties also must be included.

Counties and first class or code cities are authorized to publish a local voters' pamphlet containing information on election measures and candidates within that jurisdiction. The local voters' pamphlet may include candidate statements and photographs, and must contain explanatory statements on ballot measures and argument statements for and against each measure.

In 2016, the Legislature required that the name of the Secretary may not appear in the state voters' pamphlet in his or her official capacity, if he or she is a candidate for office in the same year. Likewise, a county auditor's name may not appear in the local voters' pamphlet in his or her official capacity when he or she is a candidate for office in the same year.

Ballot Envelopes. The county auditor prepares and mails ballots to all registered voters in the county. The ballot is sent with a security envelope and a return envelope. The county auditor must include a declaration for the voter to sign and instructions on how to complete and return the ballot to the auditor. The county auditor's name may not appear on any security or return envelope or voting instructions sent out to eligible voters in a year the auditor is a candidate for office.

Summary of Bill: The Secretary's name may not appear in the state voters' pamphlet in the Secretary's official capacity in any year, even if the Secretary is not a candidate for office in the same year the pamphlet is prepared. The Secretary's name may appear only within the candidate's information that is normally included in the state voters' pamphlet.

A county auditor's name may not appear in the local voters' pamphlet in the county auditor's official capacity in any year, even if the county auditor is a candidate for office in the same year the pamphlet is prepared. The county auditor's name may not appear on any security or return envelope or voting instructions in any year. The county auditor's name may appear only within the candidate's information that is normally included in the local voters' pamphlet.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Creates Committee/Commission/Task Force that includes Legislative members: No.

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

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: None.

Persons Testifying: No one.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: No one.