Revised Code of Washington - RCW Title 29A Elections - Chapter 29A.04 General Provisions

  • 29A.04.001 Scope of definitions
    Words and phrases as defined in this chapter, wherever used in Title 29A RCW, shall have the meaning as in this chapter ascribed to them, ...
  • 29A.04.008 Ballot and related terms
    As used in this title: (1) "Ballot" means, as the context implies, either: (a) The issues and offices to be voted upon in a jurisdiction ...
  • 29A.04.013 Canvassing
    "Canvassing" means the process of examining ballots or groups of ballots, subtotals, and cumulative totals in order to determine the official returns of a primary ...
  • 29A.04.019 Counting center
    "Counting center" means the facility or facilities designated by the county auditor to count and canvass mail ballots, absentee ballots, and polling place ballots that ...
  • 29A.04.025 County auditor
    "County auditor" means the county auditor in a noncharter county or the officer, irrespective of title, having the overall responsibility to maintain voter registration and ...
  • 29A.04.031 Date of mailing
    For registered voters voting by absentee or mail ballot, "date of mailing" means the date of the postal cancellation on the envelope in which the ...
  • 29A.04.037 Disabled voter
    "Disabled voter" means any registered voter who qualifies for special parking privileges under RCW 46.16.381, or who is defined as blind under RCW 74.18.020, or ...
  • 29A.04.043 Election
    "Election" when used alone means a general election except where the context indicates that a special election is included. "Election" when used without qualification does ...
  • 29A.04.049 Election board
    "Election board" means a group of election officers serving one precinct or a group of precincts in a polling place.[2003 c 111 § 109; 1986 ...
  • 29A.04.055 Election officer
    "Election officer" includes any officer who has a duty to perform relating to elections under the provisions of any statute, charter, or ordinance.[2003 c 111 ...
  • 29A.04.061 Elector
    "Elector" means any person who possesses all of the qualifications to vote under Article VI of the state Constitution.[2003 c 111 § 111. Prior: 1987 ...
  • 29A.04.067 Filing officer
    "Filing officer" means the county or state officer with whom declarations of candidacy for an office are required to be filed under this title.[2003 c ...
  • 29A.04.073 General election
    "General election" means an election required to be held on a fixed date recurring at regular intervals.[2003 c 111 § 113. Prior: 1965 c 9 ...
  • 29A.04.079 Infamous crime
    An "infamous crime" is a crime punishable by death in the state penitentiary or imprisonment in a state correctional facility.[2003 c 111 § 114. Prior: ...
  • 29A.04.086 Major political party
    "Major political party" means a political party of which at least one nominee for president, vice president, United States senator, or a statewide office received ...
  • 29A.04.091 Measures
    "Measure" includes any proposition or question submitted to the voters.[2003 c 111 § 117; 1965 c 9 § 29.01.110. Formerly RCW 29.01.110.] ...
  • 29A.04.097 Minor political party
    "Minor political party" means a political organization other than a major political party.[2003 c 111 § 116. Prior: 1965 c 9 §29.01.100 ; prior: 1955 ...
  • 29A.04.103 Out-of-state voter
    "Out-of-state voter" means any elector of the state of Washington outside the state but not outside the territorial limits of the United States or the ...
  • 29A.04.109 Overseas voter
    "Overseas voter" means any elector of the state of Washington outside the territorial limits of the United States or the District of Columbia.[2003 c 111 ...
  • 29A.04.110 Partisan office
    "Partisan office" means a public office for which a candidate may indicate a political party preference on his or her declaration of candidacy and have ...
  • 29A.04.115 Poll-site ballot counting devices
    "Poll-site ballot counting device" means a device programmed to accept voted ballots at a polling place for the purpose of tallying and storing the ballots ...
  • 29A.04.121 Precinct
    "Precinct" means a geographical subdivision for voting purposes that is established by a county legislative authority.[2003 c 111 § 121; 1965 c 9 § 29.01.120. ...
  • 29A.04.127 Primary
    "Primary" or "primary election" means a procedure for winnowing candidates for public office to a final list of two as part of a special or ...
  • 29A.04.128 Primary
    "Primary" or "primary election" means a statutory procedure for nominating candidates to public office at the polls.[2004 c 271 § 152.] ...
  • 29A.04.133 Qualified
    "Qualified" when pertaining to a winner of an election means that for such election: (1) The results have been certified; (2) Any required bond has ...
  • 29A.04.139 Recount
    "Recount" means the process of retabulating ballots and producing amended election returns based on that retabulation, even if the vote totals have not changed.[2003 c ...
  • 29A.04.145 Registered voter
    "Registered voter" means any elector who has completed the statutory registration procedures established by this title. The terms "registered voter" and "qualified elector" are synonymous.[2003 ...
  • 29A.04.151 Residence
    "Residence" for the purpose of registering and voting means a person's permanent address where he or she physically resides and maintains his or her abode. ...
  • 29A.04.163 Service voter
    "Service voter" means any elector of the state of Washington who is a member of the armed forces under 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1973 ff-6 while ...
  • 29A.04.169 Short term
    "Short term" means the brief period of time starting upon the completion of the certification of election returns and ending with the start of the ...
  • 29A.04.175 Special election
    "Special election" means any election that is not a general election and may be held in conjunction with a general election or primary.[2003 c 111 ...
  • 29A.04.205 State policy
    It is the policy of the state of Washington to encourage every eligible person to register to vote and to participate fully in all elections, ...
  • 29A.04.206 Voters' rights
    The rights of Washington voters are protected by its constitution and laws and include the following fundamental rights: (1) The right of qualified voters to ...
  • 29A.04.210 Registration required -- Exception
    Only a registered voter shall be permitted to vote: (1) At any election held for the purpose of electing persons to public office; (2) At ...
  • 29A.04.216 County auditor--Duties--Exceptions
    The county auditor of each county shall be ex officio the supervisor of all primaries and elections, general or special, and it shall be the ...
  • 29A.04.220 County auditor -- Public notice of availability of services
    The county auditor shall provide public notice of the availability of registration and voting aids, assistance to elderly and disabled persons, and procedures for voting ...
  • 29A.04.225 Public disclosure reports
    Each county auditor or county elections official shall ensure that reports filed pursuant to chapter 42.56 RCW are arranged, handled, indexed, and disclosed in a ...
  • 29A.04.230 Secretary of state as chief election officer
    The secretary of state through the election division shall be the chief election officer for all federal, state, county, city, town, and district elections that ...
  • 29A.04.235 Election laws for county auditors
    The secretary of state shall ensure that each county auditor is provided with the most recent version of the election laws of the state, as ...
  • 29A.04.236 Manual of election laws and rules
    The secretary of state shall prepare a manual that explains all election laws and rules in easy-to-understand, plain language for use during the vote counting, ...
  • 29A.04.240 Information in foreign languages
    In order to encourage the broadest possible voting participation by all eligible citizens, the secretary of state shall produce voter registration information in the foreign ...
  • 29A.04.245 Voter guide
    The secretary of state shall cause to be produced a "voter guide" detailing what constitutes voter fraud and discrimination under state election laws. This voter ...
  • 29A.04.250 Toll-free media and web page
    The secretary of state shall provide a toll-free media and web page designed to allow voter communication with the office of the secretary of state.[2003 ...
  • 29A.04.255 Electronic facsimile documents -- Acceptance
    The secretary of state or a county auditor shall accept and file in his or her office electronic facsimile transmissions of the following documents: (1) ...
  • 29A.04.310 Primaries
    Primaries for general elections to be held in November must be held on: (1) The third Tuesday of the preceding September; or (2) The seventh ...
  • 29A.04.311 Primaries
    Nominating primaries for general elections to be held in November, and the election of precinct committee officers, must be held on the third Tuesday of ...
  • 29A.04.321 State and local general elections--Statewide general election--Exceptions--Special county elections
    (1) All state, county, city, town, and district general elections for the election of federal, state, legislative, judicial, county, city, town, and district officers, and ...
  • 29A.04.330 City, town, and district general and special elections -- Exceptions
    (1) All city, town, and district general elections shall be held throughout the state of Washington on the first Tuesday following the first Monday in ...
  • 29A.04.410 Costs borne by constituencies
    Every city, town, and district is liable for its proportionate share of the costs when such elections are held in conjunction with other elections held ...
  • 29A.04.420 State share
    (1) Whenever state officers or measures are voted upon at a state primary or general election held in an odd-numbered year under *RCW 29A.04.320, the ...
  • 29A.04.430 Interest on reimbursement
    For any reimbursement of election costs under RCW 29A.04.420, the secretary of state shall pay interest at an annual rate equal to two percentage points ...
  • 29A.04.440 Election account
    (1) The election account is created in the state treasury. (2) The following receipts must be deposited into the account: Amounts received from the federal ...
  • 29A.04.450 Local government grant program
    The secretary of state shall establish a competitive local government grant program to solicit and prioritize project proposals from county election offices. Potential projects [project] ...
  • 29A.04.460 Grant program--Administration
    The secretary of state will administer the grant program and disburse funds from the election account established in the state treasury by the legislature in ...
  • 29A.04.470 Grant program--Advisory committee
    (1) The secretary of state shall create an advisory committee and adopt rules governing project eligibility, evaluation, awarding of grants, and other criteria for administering ...
  • 29A.04.510 Election administration and certification board -- Generally
    (1) The Washington state election administration and certification board is established and has the responsibilities and authorities prescribed by this chapter. The board is composed ...
  • 29A.04.520 Appeals
    The board created in RCW 29A.04.510 shall review appeals filed under RCW 29A.04.550 or 29A.04.570. A decision of the board regarding the appeal must be ...
  • 29A.04.525 Complaint procedures
    The state-based administrative complaint procedures required in the Help America Vote Act (P.L. 107-252) and detailed in administrative rule apply to all primary, general, and ...
  • 29A.04.530 Duties of secretary of state
    The secretary of state shall: (1) Establish and operate, or provide by contract, training and certification programs for state and county elections administration officials and ...
  • 29A.04.540 Training of administrators
    A person having responsibility for the administration or conduct of elections, other than precinct election officers, shall, within eighteen months of undertaking those responsibilities, receive ...
  • 29A.04.550 Denial of certification -- Review and appeal
    (1) A decision of the secretary of state to deny certification under RCW 29A.04.530 must be entered in the manner specified for orders under the ...
  • 29A.04.560 Election review section
    An election review section is established in the elections division of the office of the secretary of state. Permanent staff of the elections division, trained ...
  • 29A.04.570 Review of county election procedures
    (1)(a) The election review staff of the office of the secretary of state shall conduct a review of election-related policies, procedures, and practices in an ...
  • 29A.04.575 Visits to elections offices, facilities
    The secretary of state, or any staff of the elections division of the office of secretary of state, may make unannounced on-site visits to county ...
  • 29A.04.580 County auditor and review staff
    The county auditor may designate any person who has been certified under this chapter, other than the auditor, to participate in a review conducted in ...
  • 29A.04.590 Election assistance and clearinghouse program
    The secretary of state shall establish within the elections division an election assistance and clearinghouse program, which shall provide regular communication between the secretary of ...
  • 29A.04.611 Rules by secretary of state
    The secretary of state as chief election officer shall make reasonable rules in accordance with chapter 34.05 RCW not inconsistent with the federal and state ...
  • 29A.04.620 Rules
    The secretary of state as chief election officer may make rules in accordance with chapter 34.05 RCW to facilitate the operation, accomplishment, and purpose of ...
  • 29A.04.630 Joint powers and duties with board
    (1) The secretary of state and the board created in RCW 29A.04.510 shall jointly adopt rules, in the manner specified for the adoption of rules ...
  • 29A.04.900 Continuation of existing law
    The provisions of this title insofar as they are substantially the same as statutory provisions repealed by this chapter, and relating to the same subject ...
  • 29A.04.901 Headings and captions not part of law
    Chapter headings, part, subpart, and section or subsection captions, as used in this title do not constitute any part of the law.[2003 c 111 § ...
  • 29A.04.902 Invalidity of part not to affect remainder
    If any provision of this title, or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the title, or the application ...
  • 29A.04.903 Effective date -- 2003 c 111
    This act takes effect July 1, 2004.[2003 c 111 § 2405.] ...
  • 29A.04.904 Severability--2004 c 271
    If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application ...
  • 29A.04.905 Effective date--2004 c 271
    Except for sections 102 through 193 of this act, this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or ...

Last modified: April 7, 2009