Bill calls for checks of voter records

OLYMPIA – Voter records would be investigated randomly and election officials would have to check the citizenship of each new applicant under Republican-sponsored amendments that passed the state Senate on Monday as part of an election-reform-driven voter registration bill.

Republicans have introduced a flurry of amendments to a series of election reform bills that started to hit the floor Friday, but Monday was the first day the GOP had any success on the issue in the Democrat-controlled Senate.

The bill to enhance voter registration record-keeping passed in a 49-0 vote.

Republican amendments allow state Department of Licensing agents to ask voter registration applicants if they are U.S. citizens, allow the secretary of state or county auditors to check the citizenship of new applicants with federal immigration officials and allow county election officials to randomly investigate the record of all registered voters and to make corrections when voters have died or if their residences have changed. Another amendment provides for a box on the return envelope of absentee ballots that voters can check to indicate they are members of the armed forces.

Sen. Pam Roach, R-Sumner, called the passing of the amendments “a major victory.”

“We need to clean the voter rolls, and this is going to help us do that,” said Roach, who sponsored three of the amendments.

Concerns over illegal voters on the rolls rushed to the forefront after the contested governor’s race that dragged on for nearly eight weeks and three counts. Democrat Christine Gregoire won by 129 votes after a hand recount of nearly 2.9 million ballots. Supporters of Republican opponent Dino Rossi – who led after the first two tallies – are challenging the outcome in court, alleging illegal votes.

Election reform has become a top issue this session, and dozens of bills were introduced. On Friday, the Senate passed three election reform-related bills, including making it easier for counties to switch to mail-only voting.

Disagreements over how far back to move the primary date have delayed a vote on that bill twice.

Sen. Jim Kastama, D-Puyallup, said moving the primary is one of the most important things that can be done on election reform. His bill would move the current mid-September primary date back four weeks to August, something that a statewide election reform task force also suggested in a report released last week.

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.

Secretary of State Sam Reed has said election officials need at least an extra month.

But Roach said moving the date that far would lead to less voter participation in the primaries because August is a prime vacation month. She introduced two amendments Monday, one that would move the primary back two weeks, and another that would move it back three weeks. Both were defeated, though the two-week amendment only lost by one vote.

Sen. Ken Jacobsen, D-Seattle, noted that under a citizen initiative that created the new “Top 2” system approved in November, a two-thirds vote is required in the Senate to change the date of the primary. Lt. Gov. Brad Owen agreed.

Kastama said he’s willing to consider compromising on the issue and acknowledged that lawmakers in his own party have divergent ideas on when the primary should be. The bill could be back up for a vote today.

On a 48-0 vote, the Senate on Monday also passed a bill that informs out-of-state, overseas and military service voters of rights and procedures.