S-3535               _______________________________________________

                                           SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 131

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State of Washington                              49th Legislature                            19865 Regular Session

By Senators McDermott, Goltz, Peterson, Fleming, Wojahn, Granlund, Talmadge, McManus, Gaspard, Halsan, Williams and Moore

Prefiled with Secretary of the Senate 1/10/86.  Read first time 1/13/86 and referred to Committee on Judiciary.

TO THE HONORABLE RONALD REAGAN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:

          We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

          WHEREAS, Washington state statutes regulating interviews of voters leaving polling places have been invalidated by the federal courts; and

          WHEREAS, The national news media often predict the outcome of national elections while the polls are still open in Washington and other western states; and

          WHEREAS, These predictions discourage voters from going to the polls, which can have an adverse impact on both national and local election races; and

          WHEREAS, Uniform, nationwide polling hours would eliminate this impact;

          NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that Congress enact legislation to establish uniform polling hours in national elections.

          BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Ronald Reagan, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.