Title 29A — Title 29A ELECTIONS

(1) If in the opinion of the secretary of state any argument or statement offered for inclusion in the voters' pamphlet in support of or opposition to a measure or candidate contains obscene matter or matter that is otherwise prohibited by law from distribution through the mail, …

(1) An argument or statement submitted to the secretary of state for publication in the voters' pamphlet is not available for public inspection or copying until:(a) In the case of candidate statements, (i) all statements by all candidates who have filed for a particular office ha…

All photographs of candidates submitted for publication must conform to standards established by the secretary of state by rule. No photograph may reveal clothing or insignia suggesting the holding of a public office.[ 2003 c 111 s 811. Prior: 1999 c 260 s 10. Formerly RCW 29.81.…

(1) The maximum number of words for statements submitted by candidates is as follows: State representative, 100 words; state senator, judge of the superior court, judge of the court of appeals, justice of the supreme court, and all state offices voted upon throughout the state, e…

The secretary may, by rule, set a deadline for submission of candidate statements and photographs for inclusion in the statewide voters' pamphlet. The deadline for submission of candidate statements and photographs must be not sooner than 11 days immediately following the deadlin…

Before any primary or general election, or any special election held under RCW 29A.04.321 or 29A.04.330, each county auditor shall print and distribute a local voters' pamphlet. The pamphlet shall provide information on all measures and candidates appearing on ballots within that…

(1) Not later than 90 days before the publication and distribution of a local voters' pamphlet by a county, the county auditor shall notify each city, town, or special taxing district with issues or offices appearing on ballots within that county that a pamphlet will be produced.…

The county auditor or, if applicable, the city clerk of a first-class or code city shall, in consultation with the participating jurisdictions, adopt and publish administrative rules necessary to facilitate the provisions of any ordinance authorizing production of a local voters'…

(1) The local voters' pamphlet shall include but not be limited to the following:(a) Appearing on the cover, the words "official local voters' pamphlet," the name of the jurisdiction producing the pamphlet, and the date of the election or primary;(b) A list of jurisdictions that …

Local voters' pamphlets shall include candidate statements accepted by the county auditor and may also include candidates' photographs accepted by the county auditor.[ 2024 c 78 s 10; 2003 c 111 s 817. Prior: 1984 c 106 s 7. Formerly RCW 29.81A.050.]Notes:Effective date—2024 c 78…

As soon as practicable before the primary, special election, or general election, the county auditor shall mail the local voters' pamphlet to every residence in each jurisdiction within the county that is participating in the associated primary or election and for which election …

The cost of a local voters' pamphlet shall be considered an election cost to those local jurisdictions included in the pamphlet and shall be prorated in the manner provided in RCW 29A.04.410.[ 2003 c 111 s 819. Prior: 1984 c 106 s 9. Formerly RCW 29.81A.070.]

(1) For each measure from a unit of local government included in a local voters' pamphlet, the legislative authority of that jurisdiction shall, not later than the resolution deadline, formally appoint a committee to prepare arguments advocating voters' approval of the measure an…

Not later than the Tuesday following the regular filing period, the secretary of state shall certify to each county auditor a list of the candidates who have filed declarations of candidacy in his or her office for the primary. For each office, the certificate shall include the n…

(1) When a proposed constitutional amendment is to be submitted to the people of the state for statewide popular vote, the ballot title consists of: (a) A statement of the subject of the amendment; (b) a concise description of the amendment; and (c) a question in the form prescri…

The ballot title for a constitutional amendment or proposed constitution must be filed with the secretary of state in the same manner as the ballot title and summary for a state initiative or referendum are filed.[ 2003 c 111 s 903. Prior: 2000 c 197 s 8. Formerly RCW 29.27.061.]…

Upon the filing of a ballot title under RCW 29A.36.020, the secretary of state shall provide notice of the exact language of the ballot title and summary to the chief clerk of the house of representatives, the secretary of the senate, and the prime sponsor of measure.[ 2013 c 11 …

If any persons are dissatisfied with the ballot title for a proposed constitution or constitutional amendment, they may at any time within ten days from the time of the filing of the ballot title and summary, not including Saturdays, Sundays, or legal holidays, appeal to the supe…

(1) Except as provided to the contrary in RCW 82.14.036, 82.46.021, or 82.80.090, the ballot title of any referendum filed on an enactment or portion of an enactment of a local government and any other question submitted to the voters of a local government consists of three eleme…

Upon the filing of a ballot title of a question to be submitted to the people of a county or municipality, the county auditor shall provide notice of the exact language of the ballot title to the persons proposing the measure, the county or municipality, and to any other person r…

If any persons are dissatisfied with the ballot title for a local ballot measure that was formulated by the city attorney or prosecuting attorney preparing the same, they may at any time within ten days from the time of the filing of the ballot title, not including Saturdays, Sun…

Except for the candidates for president and vice president, or for a partisan or nonpartisan office for which no primary is required, the names of all candidates who, under this title, filed a declaration of candidacy must appear on the appropriate ballot at the primary throughou…

(1) Every ballot for a single combination of issues, offices, and candidates shall be uniform within a precinct and shall identify the type of primary or election, the county, and the date of the primary or election, and the ballot or voting device shall contain instructions on t…

All provisional ballots must be visually distinguishable from other ballots and incapable of being tabulated by a voting system.[ 2011 c 10 s 31; 2005 c 243 s 3.]Notes:Notice to registered poll voters—Elections by mail—2011 c 10: See note following RCW 29A.04.008.

(1) The positions or offices on a primary consolidated ballot shall be arranged in substantially the following order: United States senator; United States representative; governor; lieutenant governor; secretary of state; state treasurer; state auditor; attorney general; commissi…

After the close of business on the last day for candidates to file for office, the filing officer shall determine by lot the order in which the names of those candidates will appear on all ballots. The determination shall be done publicly and may be witnessed by the media and by …

Except in each county with a population of one million or more, on or before the fifteenth day before a primary or election, the county auditor shall prepare a sample ballot which shall be made readily available to members of the public. The secretary of state shall adopt rules g…

(1) On the top of each ballot must be printed:(a) Clear and concise instructions directing the voter how to mark the ballot, including write-in votes; and(b) The following statement: "For a list of the people and organizations that donated to state and local candidates and ballot…

(1) For any office for which a primary was held, only the names of the top two candidates will appear on the general election ballot; the name of the candidate who received the greatest number of votes will appear first and the candidate who received the next greatest number of v…

This section applies if a candidate for an elective office of a city, town, or special purpose district would, under this chapter, otherwise qualify to have his or her name printed on the general election ballot for the office, but the candidate has been declared to be unqualifie…

The names of candidates certified by the secretary of state or the county canvassing board as qualified to appear on the general election shall be printed on the general election ballot.If a primary for an office was held, no name of any candidate shall be placed upon the ballot …

(1) The ballot proposition authorizing a taxing district to impose the regular property tax levies authorized in RCW 36.68.525, 36.69.145, 67.38.130, 84.52.069, or 84.52.135 must contain in substance the following:"Will the . . . . . . (insert the name of the taxing district) be …

The cost of printing and mailing ballots, envelopes, and instructions shall be an election cost that shall be borne as determined under RCW 29A.04.410 and 29A.04.420, as appropriate.[ 2011 c 10 s 34; 2003 c 111 s 922. Prior: 1990 c 59 s 16; 1965 c 9 s 29.30.130; prior: 1889 p 400…

The election on the single ballot proposition described in RCW 36.120.070 and 81.112.030(10) must be conducted by the auditor of each component county in accordance with the general election laws of the state, except as provided in this section. Notice of the election must be pub…

Each active registered voter of the state, overseas voter, and service voter shall automatically be issued a mail ballot for each general election, special election, or primary. Overseas voters and service voters are authorized to cast the same ballots, including those for specia…

(1) A request for a ballot from an overseas voter or service voter must include the address of the last residence in the state of Washington.(2) No person, organization, or association may distribute any ballot materials that contain a return address other than that of the approp…

(1) County auditors shall provide special absentee ballots to be used for state primary or state general elections. An auditor shall provide a special absentee ballot only to a registered voter who completes an application stating that she or he will be unable to vote and return …

(1) Except where a recount or litigation is pending, the county auditor must mail ballots to each voter at least eighteen days before each primary or election, and as soon as possible for all subsequent registration changes.(2) Except where a recount or litigation is pending, the…

(1) The county auditor shall send each voter a ballot, a security envelope in which to conceal the ballot after voting, a larger envelope in which to return the security envelope, a declaration that the voter must sign, and instructions on how to obtain information about the elec…

County auditors must request that observers be appointed by the major political parties to be present during the processing of ballots at the counting center. County auditors have discretion to also request that observers be appointed by any campaigns or organizations. The absenc…

(1) The opening and subsequent processing of return envelopes for any primary or election may begin upon receipt. The tabulation of absentee ballots must not commence until after 8:00 p.m. on the day of the primary or election.(2) All received return envelopes must be placed in s…

(1) The secretary of state shall establish the alternative verification options pilot project. The purpose of the pilot project is to allow for the development and testing of supplemental methods, other than signature verification, to verify that a ballot was filled out and retur…

Each county auditor shall maintain in his or her office, open for public inspection, a record of all voters issued a ballot and all voters who returned a ballot. For each primary, special election, or general election, any political party, committee, or person may request a list …

(1) Each county auditor shall open a voting center each primary, special election if the county is conducting an election, and general election. The voting center shall be open during business hours during the voting period, which begins eighteen days before, and ends at 8:00 p.m…

(1) The county auditor must prevent overflow of each ballot drop box to allow a voter to deposit his or her ballot securely. Ballots must be removed from a ballot drop box by at least two people, with a record kept of the date and time ballots were removed, and the names of peopl…

(1) Each state university, regional university, and The Evergreen State College as defined in RCW 28B.10.016 and each higher education campus as defined in RCW 28B.45.012 shall open a nonpartisan student engagement hub on its campus. The student engagement hub may be open during …

(1) A primary is a first stage in the public process by which voters elect candidates to public office.(2) Whenever candidates for a partisan office are to be elected, the general election must be preceded by a primary conducted under this chapter. Based upon votes cast at the pr…

So far as applicable, the provisions of this title relating to conducting general elections govern the conduct of primaries.[ 2004 c 271 s 143.]

Nothing in this chapter may be construed to mean that a voter may cast more than one vote for candidates for a given office.[ 2004 c 271 s 144.]

(1) The office of precinct committee officer must be voted upon at the primary election in each even-numbered year. If no one files for the office, the office shall be filled in accordance with *RCW 29A.28.071. If, after the last day to withdraw, only one candidate has filed for …