The legislature finds that service and overseas voters have the right to vote for their elected officials. To effectuate this right, service and overseas voters must have access to the same ballot materials as voters present in the state with sufficient time to thoughtfully consider candidates and issues before casting a ballot. Accordingly, the legislature intends to ensure that voters' pamphlets are available to service and overseas voters at the same time as the ballot.
This section modifies existing section 29A.40.020. Here is the modified chapter for context.
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.
An overseas or service voter may also request that the county auditor mail the voter a local voters' pamphlet and a state voters' pamphlet, if such pamphlets have been printed for the election.
No person, organization, or association may distribute any ballot materials that contain a return address other than that of the appropriate county auditor.
This section modifies existing section 29A.32.260. Here is the modified chapter for context.
As soon as practicable before the primary, special election, or general election, the county auditor, or if applicable, the city clerk of a first-class or code city, as appropriate, shall mail the local voters' pamphlet to every residence in each jurisdiction that has included information in the pamphlet**, as well as to the ballot mailing address of every service or overseas voter registered in the jurisdiction who has requested a voters' pamphlet**. The county auditor or city clerk, as appropriate, may choose to mail the pamphlet to each registered voter in each jurisdiction that has included information in the pamphlet, if in his or her judgment, a more economical and effective distribution of the pamphlet would result. A local voters' pamphlet mailed to a service or overseas voter under this section must be accompanied by the state voters' pamphlet, if one has been printed, and must be sent at the same time as the ballot or as soon as practicable thereafter.
This section modifies existing section 29A.72.025. Here is the modified chapter for context.
The office of financial management, in consultation with the secretary of state, the attorney general, and any other appropriate state or local agency, shall prepare a fiscal impact statement for each of the following state ballot measures: (1) An initiative to the people that is certified to the ballot; (2) an initiative to the legislature that will appear on the ballot; (3) an alternative measure appearing on the ballot that the legislature proposes to an initiative to the legislature; (4) a referendum bill referred to voters by the legislature; and (5) a referendum measure appearing on the ballot. Fiscal impact statements must be written in clear and concise language, avoid legal and technical terms when possible, and be filed with the secretary of state no later than July 15th. Fiscal impact statements may include easily understood graphics.
A fiscal impact statement must describe any projected increase or decrease in revenues, costs, expenditures, or indebtedness that the state or local governments will experience if the ballot measure were approved by state voters. Where appropriate, a fiscal impact statement may include both estimated dollar amounts and a description placing the estimated dollar amounts into context. A fiscal impact statement must include both a summary of not to exceed one hundred words and a more detailed statement that includes the assumptions that were made to develop the fiscal impacts.
Fiscal impact statements must be available online from the secretary of state's web site and included in the state voters' pamphlet. Additional information may be posted on the web site of the office of financial management.
If specific funding for the purposes of this act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number, is not provided by June 30, 2021, in the omnibus appropriations act, this act is null and void.