§ 29A.08.365 — Automatic voter registration—Other agencies.

Washington § 29A.08.365

• Jurisdiction: Washington
• Title 29A: ELECTIONS
• Ch. 29A.08: VOTERS AND REGISTRATION

Text

(1) The governor shall make a decision, in consultation with the office of the secretary of state, as to whether each agency identified in subsection (2) of this section shall implement automatic voter registration. The final decision is at the governor's sole discretion.

(2) This section applies to state agencies, other than the health benefit exchange, providing public assistance or services to persons with disabilities, designated pursuant to RCW 29A.08.310 (1), that collect, process, and store the following information as part of providing assistance or services:

(a) Names;

(b) Traditional or nontraditional residential addresses;

(c) Dates of birth;

(d) A signature attesting to the truth of the information provided on the application for assistance or services; and

(e) Verification of citizenship information, via social security administration data match or manually verified by the agency during the client transaction.

(3) Once an agency has implemented automatic voter registration, it shall continue to provide automatic voter registration unless legislation is enacted that directs the agency to do otherwise.

(4) Agencies may not begin verifying citizenship as part of an agency transaction for the sole purpose of providing automatic voter registration.

(5) The governor shall make a decision, in consultation with the office of the secretary of state, as to whether state agencies that collect, possess, and store the information identified in subsection (2) of this section may implement automatic voter registration through a procedure that substantially meets the requirements of RCW 29A.08.359 , or as to whether state agencies that collect, possess, and store the information in subsection (2)(a) through (c) of this section may implement automatic updates of existing voter registrations through a procedure that substantially meets the requirements of RCW 29A.08.359 . The governor shall make the same decision, in consultation with the office of the secretary of state, as to local, federal, or tribal agencies, including but not limited to federal agencies administering naturalization ceremonies, provided that such agencies consent to implementing automatic voter registration or automatic updates of existing voter registrations. The final decision is at the governor's sole discretion.

(6) After confirming that the application for assistance or services identified in subsection (2) of this section contains a signature attesting to the truth of the information provided on the application, the secretary of state may obtain a digital copy of the applicant's signature image from the department of licensing, if available, for purposes of voter registration.

Short title — Findings — Intent — 2018 c 110: See notes following RCW 29A.08.355 .

Legislative History

[2025 c 330 s 1;2023 c 466 s 18;2018 c 110 s 202.]