Senate passes bill making it easier for counties to switch to all-mail voting

04/15/2005

By RACHEL LA CORTE  / Associated Press

The state Senate passed a bill Thursday that makes it easier for counties to switch to all-mail voting, though opponents argued that it will take away people's right to vote at the polls.

The measure passed on a 28-20 vote, but must now go back to the House because the Senate removed the House's provision that the switch be mandatory.

Under the bill passed by the Senate, counties have the option to switch. But opponents say the measure will hasten a complete state switchover by giving counties the option of eliminating poll sites and will give voters fewer choices.

"You're taking away the right of the citizen who doesn't want to vote by mail," said Sen. Don Benton, R-Vancouver.

The legislation says each county council or board of commissioners would make the decision. Currently, a county can make the switch only if it has no precincts of more than 200 people. Ferry, Okanogan, Clallam and Skamania counties already have all-mail voting and Whatcom and Mason counties are making the switch. Other counties have indicated they want to study mail-only ballots.

Proponents say that in a state where about 70 percent of voters already vote by mail, it doesn't make sense for counties to spend money to rent poll sites, pay poll workers or worry about hundreds of voting machines. Oregon switched to all-mail voting in 1998.

"This bill is going to save (counties) some money," said Sen. Harriet Spanel, D-Bellingham. "This allows local option. Those who want to do it can do it."

The bill is the second House election reform measure passed out of the Senate this week. On Tuesday, the upper chamber passed a bill standardizing county election procedures. The only election reform bill awaiting action in the Senate is a House bill moving up the primary-election date by four weeks.

On Wednesday night, the House passed three noncontroversial election reform bills that have already cleared the Senate, including one requiring a paper record on all voting devices.

Of the election reform bills remaining in the House, an omnibus bill creating statewide standards and another dealing with voter registration record-keeping have drawn the ire of Republicans. A House committee dramatically changed the Senate versions that were voted on last month; the change that upset Republicans and Senate Democrats the most was the removal of a photo or voter card identification requirement at the polls.

More than two dozen amendments have been offered on those two bills, with Republicans seeking to force voter identification, re-registration of all voters in order to clean up the voter rolls and proof of citizenship for registration.

Democrats "keep insisting that there are people who are qualified voters who for some reason or another have no identification and have no practical way to get identification," said Rep. Toby Nixon, R-Kirkland. "I'm sorry, I disagree."

But Democrats said Republicans risk going so far in reforms that they disenfranchise voters.

"They're looking for the monster under the bed," said Rep. Sam Hunt, D-Olympia.

Election reform has been a hot issue this session because of the contested governor's race, which dragged on for nearly eight weeks. Gov. Christine Gregoire, a Democrat, won by 129 votes after a hand recount of nearly 2.9 million ballots following the Nov. 2 election.

Republican opponent Dino Rossi ? who led after the first two tallies ? has sued, seeking to void the results. He has alleged widespread problems and voting irregularities. A trial on his lawsuit will begin May 23 in Wenatchee.

The primary date bill is expected to come to a Senate vote on Friday, said Sen. Jim Kastama, D-Puyallup, the main architect of the election reform package passed out of the House.

Kastama, Secretary of State Sam Reed and county auditors have said moving the primary is one of the most important things that can be done on election reform.

Kastama said the bill is crucial to allow officials more time to handle any recounts and prepare for the general election, including sending ballots to military and overseas voters.

Democrats hold a majority in both the House and Senate, but the margin is just 26-23 in the upper chamber so Republican cooperation is crucial since the primary bill requires a two-thirds majority for approval.

To meet a cutoff date, all bills must be passed out of opposite houses by Friday.

Negotiations have been going on behind the scenes on changes made by each chamber to the other's bills, but if no agreement is reached, the bills could die before they reach Gregoire's desk. The regular session ends April 24.

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The all-mail voting bill passed by the Senate is House Bill 1754. The omnibus election reform bill is Senate Bill 5499, the voter registration record-keeping bill is Senate Bill 5743, the paper trail bill is Senate Bill 5395.