FINAL BILL REPORT

SHB 773

                                  C 359 L 87

BYHouse Committee on Constitution, Elections & Ethics (originally sponsored by Representatives Holm, Nealey, Haugen, Barnes, Holland, Dellwo, Jesernig, P. King, Winsley and Betrozoff)

Allowing county auditors to investigate and cancel invalid voter registration.

House Committe on Constitution, Elections & Ethics

Senate Committee on Judiciary

SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

BACKGROUND:

The county auditor must cancel the voter registration of a person unless the person has voted at any primary or election within the past 24 months or at the most recent presidential election.

State law permits elections to be conducted by mail ballot under certain circumstances.

SUMMARY:

The county auditor must inquire into the validity of the registration of a voter if any of the following is returned by the postal service as undeliverable:  a vote-by-mail ballot, a notification to the voter following reprecincting of the county, a notification of selection to serve on jury duty, or the initial voter identification card.

The auditor will initiate the inquiry by sending a written notice by first class mail to the challenged voter at the address indicated on the voter's permanent registration record.  The notice must contain the nature of the inquiry, provide a suitable form for reply and contain a warning that the auditor must receive a response within 60 days of the mailing or the individual's voter registration will be cancelled.  Upon receipt of the voter's response, the auditor will consider the inquiry satisfied and make any corrections requested by the voter on the registration record.

The auditor must cancel the registration of a voter who fails to respond to the notice of inquiry within the 60 day period and notify the voter by mail of the cancellation.  If a voter responds no later than 45 days after the mailing of the cancellation notice, the auditor will reinstate the voter.

If a person's voter registration has been cancelled under this procedure and the person, within a period of four years following the cancellation, applies for an absentee ballot or offers to vote at the polling place, the person will be permitted to vote a challenged ballot.  If, in considering the challenged ballot, the canvassing board determines that the voter's registration was improperly cancelled, the ballot will be counted and the voter's registration reinstated.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      House 94   0

      Senate    46     3(Senate amended)

      House       (House refused)

Free Conference Committee

      Senate    44     0

      House 96   0

EFFECTIVE:July 26, 1987