AN ACT Relating to clarifying the prohibition on voting more than once in an election;
Summary
SB 6084 clarifies Washington’s prohibition on voting more than once in the same election. The bill states that a person may not vote, or attempt to vote, more than once in Washington in the same election, and also may not vote in both Washington and another state in the same election when the election date is the same. It defines “election” for this purpose to include general, primary, and special elections, and specifies that ballots mailed or returned on different dates still count as the same election if the election date is the same.
The bill also provides that a special election held on the same day as a general or primary election is not considered the same election for purposes of this prohibition, allowing otherwise qualified voters to participate in both. A reckless or negligent violation is treated as a class 1 civil infraction, while intentional double voting or attempted double voting is a class C felony. The act is declared necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, and takes effect immediately.
Impact
SB 6084 amends RCW 29A.84.660 and related provisions to codify and clarify the state’s anti-double-voting rules, including cross-state voting on the same election date and the treatment of same-day special elections. It also creates a new section expressing legislative intent to overrule the Court of Appeals decision in State v. Padilla and to correct what the Legislature describes as an erroneous interpretation of existing law. The bill affects voters, election administrators, and enforcement authorities by sharpening the legal definitions and penalties tied to multiple voting.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have broad support and little visible opposition. It passed the Senate committee unanimously, then passed the full Senate with only one dissenting vote, and later passed the House committee and full House unanimously. The legislative findings and emergency clause suggest a strong sense of urgency and agreement that clarification was needed before upcoming elections.
Contention
The main point of contention addressed by the bill is the scope of the prohibition on voting more than once, especially whether voting in Washington and another state on the same date, or participating in a special election held the same day as a primary or general election, should be treated as the same election. The Legislature explicitly rejects the Court of Appeals’ interpretation in State v. Padilla and says the amendment is curative. The bill also distinguishes between negligent or reckless violations, which are civil infractions, and intentional violations, which remain felonies, indicating a policy choice to reserve criminal penalties for deliberate misconduct.