Crunch time ... and election stuff
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Lawmakers are grinding through tons of bills -- yes, it IS a sausage factory -- as the house-of-origin deadline looms at day's end. Lobbyists are twitchy and lawmakers are looking forward to a little relief after the deadline passes (other than that little matter of an $8.5 billion budget hole that still awaits! New revenue forecast comes out next Thursday. Eeeek!)
Joanie Deutsch and the fine folks over at the state Elections Division are helping us track the election-specific legislation that is moving along (or on life-support or sort-of-dead.)
Herewith, your very own copy of our internal memo. Aren't you the coolest?
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Election Legislation Update
VOTER REGISTRATION
This is our bill that changes the voter registration deadlines from 15 days before Election Day to 8 days and from 31 days before Election Day to 29 days. The House bill is dead, but the Senate bill continues to move. It passed the Senate on March 3 with a vote of 32 to 16. It is now in the House Committee on State Government & Tribal Affairs and has a hearing on Thursday, March 19 at 8:00am.
CANDIDATE FILING
This is our bill that brings us back to the old law where candidates for a legislative or judicial district that are located within one county are required to file with the County Auditor’s Office and candidates for a legislative or judicial district that crosses county lines file with the Secretary of State’s Office. The House bill is dead, but the Senate bill continues to move. It passed the Senate on March 7 with a vote of 44 to 0. It is now in the House Committee on State Government & Tribal Affairs. To date, no hearing has been set.
TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS
This is our bill that is a cleanup bill to bring certain laws that were inadvertently left off when the election chapters were moved from 29 to 29A. The House bill is dead, but the Senate bill continues to move. It passed the Senate on March 7 with a vote of 45 to 0. It is now in the House Committee on State Government & Tribal Affairs and has a hearing on Thursday, March 19 at 8:00am.
TOP 2
This is our bill on the Top 2 Primary to get state statute in line with current practice. It passed the Senate Committee on Government Operations & Elections and is sitting in Rules.
BUDGET BILLS
Three bills have been introduced in the Senate and the House reducing OSOS Election costs in an attempt to implement the budget. The House bills have been referred to State Government & Tribal Affairs.
FELON VOTE RESTORATION
This is the bill creating the bright line on when felons regain their right to vote. The House bill passed on March 10 with a vote of 53 to 43. It is now in the Senate Committee on Government Operations & Elections. To date, no hearing has been set.
SPECIAL ELECTION DATES
This is the Auditors’ bill reducing the number of special elections dates from four to two. The Senate bill is dead, but the House bill continues to move. The House bill was passed 67 to 29 on March 3, with an amendment adding back one of the permisible dates. It is now in the Senate Committee on Government Operations & Elections and has a hearing on Monday, March 16 at 10:00am.
BALLOTS TO INACTIVES
This is the Auditors’ bill eliminating the requirement to continue to send election materials to inactive voters. The House bill is dead, but the Senate bill continues to move. It passed the Senate with a vote of 48 to 0 on March 3. It is now in the House Committee on State Government & Tribal Affairs and has a hearing on Thursday, March 19 at 8:00 a.m.
ALL-MAIL VOTING
This is Representative Sam Hunt’s bill mandating that Pierce County move to all mail elections. It passed the House on March 9 with a vote of 54 to 43. It is now in the Senate Committee on Government Operations & Elections. To date, no hearing has been set.
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Secretary of State
Steve Hobbs
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