WashingtonCounty auditors and tribes plan reservation voting sites
County auditors and state officials meet with tribes about voting access, while the secretary of state may study online ballot return for certain voters.
What it does
County auditors meet with tribes in their counties to plan reservation voting sites and ballot drop boxes, and to coordinate election workers.
The secretary of state meets with Washington tribes every two years to discuss voting barriers and possible ways to address them.
The secretary of state may study a secure online ballot return portal for service members, overseas and disabled voters, and tribal members living on reservations. The study would not allow portal voting.
Argument forRegular planning meetings could help tribes and county auditors coordinate reservation voting sites, hours, and election workers.
Argument againstThe portal study may use existing state resources without allowing online ballot return, so covered voters could still lack that option.
More detail
County auditors schedule meetings with tribes to plan voting sites and ballot drop boxes on reservations. The meetings cover each federally recognized tribe with land within the county. Auditors must schedule these meetings to the extent practicable. If an auditor cannot reach a tribe, the auditor must ask the secretary of state to help make contact. A tribal representative may also ask for help if the auditor has not made contact. Auditors schedule planning and confirmation meetings by August 1 and September 1 of each odd-numbered year. During an election year, they also meet if a tribe chooses to set up voting sites or drop boxes on its reservation.
The secretary of state meets with tribes to discuss barriers to voting. The meetings include Washington's federally recognized tribes. The meetings provide a forum to discuss voter education, registration, ballot delivery, and other policy issues or tribal concerns. The meetings take place each two-year period.
The secretary of state may study whether an electronic portal could let certain voters return ballots. Covered voters are service members, overseas voters, disabled voters, and members of federally recognized tribes who live on reservations. The secretary may conduct the study using existing resources. The law does not allow voters to return ballots through a portal. Any design studied must protect security and voter privacy, allow only one vote per authorized voter, produce a paper record that can be checked, and limit use to covered voters. If the secretary completes a study, the secretary must report its results and recommendations to legislative committees within 180 days. This section expires 30 days after the report is submitted.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 25Effective date 6/11/2026.Latest
- Mar 25Chapter 214, 2026 Laws.Major
- Mar 25Governor Bob Ferguson signed.Became Law
- Mar 12Delivered to Governor.To Governor
- Mar 11Speaker signed.Major
- Mar 11President signed.Passed House
- Mar 10Passed final passage; yeas, 29; nays, 19; absent, 0; excused, 1.Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Final Passage as Amended by the House (#11). Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 10Senate concurred in House amendments.
- Mar 3Third reading, passed; yeas, 57; nays, 36; absent, 0; excused, 5.Minor
- Vote recorded Final Passage as Amended by the House (#4). Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 3Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Mar 3Committee amendment(s) adopted with no other amendments.
- Mar 2Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.Minor
- Feb 25Referred to Rules 2 Review.Minor
- Feb 24Minority; do not pass.Minor
- Feb 24SGOV - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).Minor
- Feb 24Executive action taken in the House Committee on State Government & Tribal Relations at 1:30 PM.
- Feb 20Public hearing in the House Committee on State Government & Tribal Relations at 8:00 AM.
- Feb 14First reading, referred to State Government & Tribal Relations.Minor
- Feb 12Third reading, passed; yeas, 30; nays, 19; absent, 0; excused, 0.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#14). Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 12Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Feb 122nd substitute bill substituted (WM 26).Major
- Feb 10Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.Minor
- Feb 9Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
- Feb 9Minority; without recommendation.Minor
- Feb 9WM - Majority; 2nd substitute bill be substituted, do pass.Major
- Feb 9Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 10:30 AM.
- Feb 5Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 1:30 PM.
- Feb 2On motion, referred to Ways & Means.Minor
- Jan 30Minority; without recommendation.Minor
- Jan 30Minority; do not pass.Minor
- Jan 30SGTE - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.Major
- Jan 30Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections at 10:30 AM.
- Jan 23Executive session scheduled, but no action was taken in the Senate Committee on State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections at 10:30 AM.
- Jan 20Public hearing in the Senate Committee on State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections at 1:30 PM.
- Jan 12First reading, referred to State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections.Minor
- Jan 8Prefiled for introduction.Introduced
Civil Rights & Voting