Your Vote ELECTION FACTS - League of Women Voters of Washington
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Your
Vote
ELECTION FACTS
There are multiple safeguards in
place to protect the integrity of
Washington’s elections.
PAGE 2
TEN TIPS FOR VOTING
Spokane County Auditor
Vicky Dalton offers help on
registering, voting in Washington.
PAGE 4
ACCESSIBILITY
Voters who have disabilities can
get assistance while maintaining
independence and secret ballot.
PAGE 8
OBSERVERS
How trained volunteers watch
paid election staff members
count and process ballots.
PAGES 14-15
Your Vote is a joint production
of the League of Women Voters
of Washington and
The Spokesman-Review.
Page 2 Sunday, September 5, 2021 The Spokesman-Review
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF WASHINGTON
MISINFORMATION AND DISINFORMATION
A clear picture about voting to set the record straight on some common the voting process. In addition to providing vote. We want them to be confident they
Voting is a cornerstone misbeliefs. Given the League’s reputation thorough reports and data on its website have the right information they need to
of our democracy. It is the for nonpartisanship and commitment to about voting, officials have launched social make informed choices as well as to be con-
voice of the people ex- democracy, it was a fitting task for the media campaigns to make the picture clear- fident that their votes are safe and secure.
ercised at the ballot box 101-year-old organization to undertake. er for voters. Over several months, League members
that establishes our laws, To begin, League members sought to What follows are more than 30 respons- investigated claims about how ballots are
determines our leader- learn as much as they could about the com- es to statements made by people who do transferred, how they are counted, which
ship and sets the path of mon misinformation people were hearing not understand how the election process ballots are counted and verified, and other
our opportunities and – and repeating – about voting. Some of the works. The information was derived from topics related to security.
future. Lunell Haught stories were unbelievable. Some, despite the agencies responsible for elections and We share what we found here because
Recognizing that heat- being untrue, were a little more believable, certified citizen election observers. your vote is important.
ed political environments can make it dif- leading some of us to understand why sev- It is important that all eligible voters ex- Your vote is your voice. Your vote is pow-
ficult at times to distinguish between fact eral might be mistaken for fact. ercise their rights at the ballot box. That er.
and mis- and disinformation about the The Secretary of State’s office has been participation is what makes a true democ- Lunell Haught
voting process, the League of Women Vot- working to help voters better understand racy. President of the League of Women Voters of
ers of Washington set out earlier this year what is true and not true when it comes to We want people to be confident as they Washington
FACTOIDS
During the last major • Replacement ballots
election, the Office of the are available. Though rare,
Secretary of State received sometimes a voter doesn’t
phone calls and emails ask- receive their ballot in the
ing about election security. mail, or a ballot may get
The public expressed a va- damaged during handling.
riety of concerns. Voters may simply call their
Our elections are safe and county elections office,
your vote is secure. Accord- which will mail a replace-
ing to a Brennan Center for
Justice report, an American
Security to ensure election
systems remain secure. Your vote, your voice casionally, delivery mishaps
may occur. Any registered
ment ballot. Or the voter
can download and print a
is more likely to “be struck • The right to vote is re- voter who does not receive ballot and signature decla-
by lightning” than be im- served only for U.S. citizens dit trails or alarms warn of Voter program permits their ballot should contact ration from the elections of-
personated at the polls. and is guaranteed by the attempts to access any type 16- and 17-year-olds to sign their county elections office fice website or VoteWA.gov.
America’s elections are U.S. Constitution. By law of election machine, and up to be automatically reg- to determine the best way Both replacement ballot
among the safest and most noncitizens are prohibited these machines are never istered to vote when they to receive a replacement options require the ballot to
secure worldwide. from registering to vote. If connected to the internet. turn 18. ballot. be returned to the respec-
Below are many of the an undocumented immi- Washington state uses pa- • Election offices main- • If a citizen is registered tive county elections office
protections in place in grant or a documented res- per ballots, which serve as tain updated voter rolls. to vote, that citizen will re- to be counted. Replacement
Washington to secure ballot ident alien attempts to reg- the official record of the Either the Washington De- ceive a ballot. The county ballots are safe and secure.
and the integrity of the elec- ister or vote, they risk being election, and the paper partment of Health or the elections office won’t send Again, only one ballot can
tions process. permanently deported. The ballots can be recounted to Social Security Administra- or give a ballot to anyone be counted for each voter.
• Election Officials dili- risks are just too high com- confirm results. Vote counts tion notifies county elec- who isn’t registered. • In Washington state,
gently audit to prevent er- pared to the rewards, if any, are safe and accurate. tions offices in Washington • Ballots come with pre- the voting process starts as
rors. The rare issues that of casting just one vote in an These additional topics of all deaths reported with- paid-postage envelopes ad- soon as voters receive their
arise can typically be traced election. That’s why non- are listed in order of the in the state. On occasion, dressed to the county elec- ballots. If a voter marks,
to clerical or data-matching citizens rarely intentionally steps that occur during an a ballot may end up being tions office so voters can signs, and returns their
errors. Washington uses attempt to vote. There are a active election cycle. mailed to someone who send their ballots through ballot and then dies, their
paper-based systems, and handful of cases nationally • Every American citizen died out of state or whose the U.S. Postal Service. ballot is still valid. Multiple
conducts voter-verifiable of inadvertent registration in Washington state of vot- death has not yet been re- However, timing may affect signature checks prevent
paper audit trails, indepen- by noncitizens, but those in- ing age can register to vote. ported. It is the responsibil- post office delivery. As long forgery. Once a person’s
dent testing, and pre- and stances are found in routine Each voter registration is ity of the current resident to as a ballot is postmarked ballot has been accepted
postelection audits. The checks. All American citi- checked to be sure that per- inform the elections office before or on Election Day, for counting, their vote will
VoteWA.gov system is se- zens have the right to vote. son is who they say they are, to prevent future ballots that ballot will be counted. count – whether the person
cured by skilled IT and the • Vote counts – both pa- even if they share the same from being sent. Election Voters have the option of is alive or deceased at the
Washington State Elections per and electronic versions name with another per- rolls are well maintained placing their ballots in an time of counting.
Security Operations Center – are safeguarded for ac- son. A birthdate and either and updated promptly. official drop box, which is • Using an official ballot
staff using state-of-the-art curacy, and elections are a Washington state ID or a • Every registered voter open until 8 p.m. the day drop box is secure. Des-
equipment and following well-protected. Physical Social Security number are in Washington state is sent a of the election. Drop box ignated officials, working
IT industry best practices. safety measures prevent required to register. One ballot by mail. Election offi- locations are available at in pairs, open drop boxes
The Office of the Secretary unauthorized access to the person, one registration, cials say they work diligent- VoteWA.gov. Both systems and remove and deliver the
of State works with the machines that count, or tab- one vote. ly to ensure every registered deliver ballots directly to
Department of Homeland ulate, the votes. Backup au- • Washington’s Future voter is sent a ballot. But oc- the election office. See FACTOIDS, 3
Spokane, Wash. / Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Page 3 Sunday, September 5, 2021
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF WASHINGTON
FACTOIDS The elections office keeps a complete record of the election,
Continued from 2
ballots to their respective including ballots that were invalidated and not counted. For federal
county elections office reg-
ularly. Ballot drop boxes are elections, ballots and other materials are retained for 22 months.
strong to prevent tampering
and are highly secure. Bal-
lots deposited in drop boxes
are safe.
• All ballots are tracked
and verified. The bal-
lot-counting process begins
with signature verification.
Once they are validated,
outer envelopes are opened
to remove any connec-
tion to the voter’s identity.
Next, the anonymous se-
curity envelopes or sleeves
are opened and ballots are
flattened. Finally, votes are
counted and ballots are
preserved. At every point,
the exact same number of
ballots that move from the
previous station must be
accounted for at the next.
From the moment they ar-
rive, ballots are tracked and
kept safe.
• Only the first valid bal-
lot accepted is counted.
Voters may, whether in er-
ror or willfully, send in mul-
tiple ballots, but only the
first valid, verified ballot is
counted. A central database
tracks and records the re-
ceipt of each verified ballot. DAN PELLE/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
Multiple ballots are flagged Spokane County Elections extra help Christa McQueen, center, counts a handful of ballots during a recount, on Aug. 24, 2021. Close
and not counted. Only the tallies in an open seat Spokane City Council District 1 race between Naghmana Sherazi and Luc Jasmin III and a Rockford Council
first valid ballot received is Position 3 race between Ivan Willmschen and Rachelle Arriaga prompted the recount.
verified and counted.
• Only one ballot per vot- essential to the validation a ballot. ballots with mismatched not counted. For federal ballots, but actual humans
er per election is counted. process. When counting • A provisional ballot is signatures, or ballots iden- elections, ballots and other check, recheck, and confirm
As each signature is vali- ballots, the number of veri- counted only if it is verified. tified as duplicates are de- materials are retained for that ballots are properly ac-
dated, a database is checked fied voters must match the A provisional ballot is is- clared invalid. Election re- 22 months. counted for at every step of
to verify that a ballot has number of validated ballots sued if a voter’s name is not sults are certified only after • Ballots are tracked at the process. Ballots can be
not been counted for that exactly. listed as a registered voter, if all valid ballots are counted. every point in the election hand counted in the case of
voter. If a person submits • Signatures must pass they cannot sign their name, • Only valid ballots are process. Ballots are tracked extremely close elections.
more than one ballot in the multiple checks. Signatures or if they do not have proper counted. If someone fills from the moment they All ballots are preserved for
same election, the ballot are examined using Wash- identification. The verifica- out and submits another arrive at the county elec- possible recounts and ex-
envelopes are set aside and ington State Patrol proce- tion process checks regis- person’s ballot, the signa- tions office until they are amination.
reviewed. In some cases, dures. If a ballot turns up tration, ensures the ballot ture will not match and the archived after counting. • Vote-counting ma-
voters are contacted to de- without a signature, the is not a duplicate, and in- ballot will not be verified. At each point, ballots are chines record the votes as
termine if an additional bal- voter is contacted and given spects the signature. Wash- All ballots must be verified checked to ensure that the they are entered. Scanners
lot was intentional or not. until the last day before the ington state offers in-per- before they are counted. number of validated vot- read the votes off a ballot
Only the first valid ballot end of the canvass period son, same-day registration, Only ballots with valid sig- ers matches the number of and enter those numbers in
submitted is counted. (the period from Election which greatly reduces the natures are counted. ballots moving through the the database. If a program is
• All ballot envelopes Day until the results are need for provisional ballots. • Every ballot returned to process. Totals must match installed incorrectly, votes
returned must pass multi- certified) to provide a signa- Only verified provisional the elections office is saved. exactly. could appear for the wrong
ple-point scrutiny. A ballot ture that matches their offi- ballots are counted. The elections office keeps • The actual physical pa- candidate. To protect our
that arrives in an unsigned cial ballot signature. Elec- • All valid ballots are a complete record of the per ballots are the import- right to vote and ensure
envelope cannot be count- tion offices vigilantly match counted in every election. election, including ballots ant documents. Electronic
ed. A voter’s signature is signatures before validating Ballots without signatures, that were invalidated and scanners assist in counting See FACTOIDS, 20
Page 4 Sunday, September 5, 2021 The Spokesman-Review
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF WASHINGTON
10 TIPS TO HELP ELIGIBLE VOTERS REGISTER
AND VOTE IN WASHINGTON STATE
Registering and voting in
Washington can be confus-
ing. Spokane County Audi-
tor Vicky Dalton, with 20
years in her role, is one of
the longest-serving elected
auditors in the state. She
answers 10 questions to re-
duce the confusion.
If I give the Depart-
ment of Licensing my
new address, will my
ballot be sent to my
new residence?
No. Updating your ad-
dress with the Department
of Licensing or U.S. Postal
Service isn’t always enough
to get your ballot delivered
properly. You must also
notify your county auditor.
The easiest way is online at
Votewa.gov at voter.votewa.
gov/WhereToVote.aspx
You can also contact your
auditor’s office by phone or
in person. Check the sec-
retary of state’s website at
www.sos.wa.gov/elections/
auditors/ to find your coun-
ty auditor’s office in Wash-
ington.
Do I need Washing-
ton state identification
to register to vote?
If a prospective voter has
a Washington-issued driv-
er’s license or identification
card, the license number
must be included in the vot- COLIN MULVANY/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
er registration application. Spokane County Auditor Vicky Dalton, left, Spokane County Commissioner Al French, seated at center, and Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney
A prospective voter with- Larry Haskell, seated at right, meet on Nov. 24, 2020, at a canvassing board meeting to certify election results for the November 2020 election.
out state-issued identifi-
cation, like a person who election in which they will legible. Election workers sign up for the Future Voter www.sos.wa.gov/elections/ Day a few minutes before
moved recently to Wash- vote, are at least 18 years old check names and identifica- program to ensure they re- future-voter-program.aspx 8 p.m., and as long as you’ve
ington from another state, when they vote and have no tion against databases and ceive their ballot on the first on the secretary of state’s started the registration
must submit the last four restrictions against voting their work can be slowed if Election Day after they turn website. process, you will be given a
digits of their Social Secu- because of convictions or they can’t read your writing. 18. If you turn 18 on Election Will my vote count ballot that will count. The
rity number. All prospec- court orders. Dalton recommends people Day, you must visit the elec- if my registration isn’t same is true if you arrive at
tive voters must sign an How important is print information, other tions office in person to vote complete or my ballot a drop box just as the clock
affidavit attesting they are readable handwriting? than their signatures. because officials are not isn’t through the drop- strikes 8 and there’s a line
a United States citizen, will If you are signing up at How old must I be to permitted to mail ballots to box slot on Election of cars or people in front of
have lived at this address a registration drive, take a register to vote? voters under the age of 18. Day? you.
in Washington for at least few extra moments to make Voters must be 18 to vote, You can learn more about You can show up at the “The same thing used to
30 days before the next sure your handwriting is but 16- and 17-year-olds may the Future Voter program at Elections Office on Election See TIPS, 5
Spokane, Wash. / Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Page 5 Sunday, September 5, 2021
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF WASHINGTON
SO YOU’RE REGISTERED?
TIPS
Continued from 4
apply at poll sites. We would mark the end of
the line,” Dalton said. “We do the same thing
with cars on election night that are lining up
to drop ballots into the bins.”
Do I have to mark every race on my
ballot for my vote to count?
No. Leaving one or more races blank on
your ballot will not make your vote invalid.
Election officials track the number of ballots
in each contest that have no choice marked.
They list them in official results, counting
them as “under votes.”
Must I place my ballot in the securi-
ty envelope for my vote to count?
Election officials prefer you seal your bal-
lot in the unidentifiable security envelope
that comes in your packet, but forgetting to
do so won’t make your votes invalid.
Election officials will put any ballot that is
not in the security envelope into one when it
is opened at the election office. That’s to pro-
tect the voter’s anonymity.
What if I forget to sign my name on
the outside of the envelope?
Election workers check all signatures on
submitted ballots, so failing to sign the out-
side of the envelope can result in your ballot
not being counted. If the signature on the en-
velope is missing or does not match the sig-
nature in the voter registration record, elec-
tion officials will send a letter to the voter to
correct the signature. If the voter responds to
the letter with a signature that matches, the
JESSE TINSLEY/SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
ballot will be counted.
You can check the status of your ballot by On the stage at the Bing Crosby Theater from left, Spokesman-Review reporter Kip Hill, former state Senate
visiting the VoteWA website at voter.votewa. Majority Leader and congressional candidate Lisa Brown, U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and KHQ anchor
gov/WhereToVote.aspx. Be sure to check the Sean Owsley participate in a congressional candidate forum on Sept. 19, 2018. The debate was sponsored by The
site if you think you forgot to sign your enve- Spokesman-Review and KHQ. Debates can provide opportunities for voters to make informed choices.
Here’s what to do as you prepare to vote
lope.
How can I stop the many phone
calls and email solicitations from can-
didates and political parties?
The surest way to stop those phone calls
and end the mailers arriving at your home We all need reminders from time Vote411.org , the League of Women ton is available at www.sos.wa.gov/
is to vote early, Dalton said. Candidates and to time, which is why the League of Voters’ one-stop online source for elections/auditors.
campaigns are notified when your ballot is Women Voters of Washington offers information about the candidates. • Spend a few minutes talking
received and so it is not likely they’ll continue this checklist to support your efforts If you don’t locate a race or a candi- about the importance of voting with
to send you reminders once your ballot is in. to vote. date’s responses to questions, call the your parents, children or grandchil-
Will my ballot be counted as long as • Be sure you’re registered to vote campaign and ask why they aren’t dren. Show them the ballot. Let them
I drop it in the mail on Election Day? and that the elections office in your participating. see you mark your ballot.
Your ballot must be postmarked by Elec- county has your current address to • Attend forums or local debates. • Remind five friends or family
tion Day. So, if you mail your ballot on Elec- mail your ballot. Check WAVote at Many organizations host events to members to vote.
tion Day, look on the mailbox to make sure a voter.votewa.gov/WhereToVote.as- provide candidates an opportuni- • If you know someone who needs
pickup is scheduled for later that day. If you pxvote.wa.gov to be sure. ty to share their views. The League to get to the voting center to register
are unsure, take your ballot to a ballot drop- • Know the dates. Know when of Women Voters is well known for close to the election, offer to drive
off location. Drop boxes are located at public your ballot should arrive in your conducting impartial events and not them or go with them on the bus to
libraries and many city halls. A ballot put in a mail. If it doesn’t, contact your local promoting or opposing candidates. drop off their ballot on Election Day
drop box will count as long as you drop it in elections office. Know when your • Be sure to sign the back of the en- if they haven’t mailed it.
by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Check your coun- ballot must be returned. velope used to return your ballot. • Consider clipping this list and
ty auditor’s website for drop box locations. • Follow the news. Read your local • Become familiar with a sample posting it on your refrigerator to fre-
Check the secretary of state’s website to newspaper to learn where your can- ballot. Check your county auditor’s quently remind you to prepare to ex-
find your county auditor’s office at www.sos. didates stand on the issues. office online for a sample. A list of ercise your voting rights and respon-
wa.gov/elections/auditors in Washington. • Check out and bookmark links to county auditors in Washing- sibilities.
Page 6 Sunday, September 5, 2021 The Spokesman-Review
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF WASHINGTON
Western Washington campus offered options for eligible voters
Legislature passed
law to create 10
student-run voting
hubs at universities
across state
When the Washington State
Legislature passed a bill to
improve student accessibility
to voting, most people didn’t
know COVID-19 still would be
turning our lives upside down
when the 2020 general election
rolled around.
But in early November 2020,
the virus still was raging. Class-
rooms, laboratories and lecture
halls were empty. Most classes
were offered online.
Nathalie Wagler, an envi-
ronmental science student at
Western Washington Univer-
sity, said the university resem-
bled a ghost town. Neverthe-
less, students and the public Western
turned to the campus to regis- Washington
ter, print out their ballots and University
turn them in on Election Day. students
“We ended up helping about Nathalie
80 people that day,” said Wagler, left,
Wagler, who helped set up and Adah
Western’s Student Engagement Barenburg
Hub. “I think it turned out assisted
students and
wonderfully, and we were real-
members of
ly happy with it.”
the public who
The creation of 10 student
stopped by
engagement centers – or hubs
the campus
– was the cornerstone of the Student
Voting Opportunities Through Engagement
Education Act the Legislature Hub to vote on
passed in March 2020. Election Day
The bill also resulted in hubs in November
at Washington State University 2020.
Tri-Cities in Benton County, COURTESY OF NATHALIE WAGLER
WSU Vancouver in Clark Coun-
ty, the University of Wash- Whatcom County Auditor “The ballot drop boxes were their parents’ home.” limited.
ington and the University of Diana Bradrick said her office sealed by two people with a COVID-19 did require ad- “The auditor suggested
Washington at Bothell in King provided training so students sealed log, and they were treat- justments to the original we just do Election Day and
County, Central Washington and others could access Vote- ed like any other official drop plans. we were open from 8 a.m. to
University in Kittitas County, WA, an online site for vot- box, secured in place and ser- “It created a big challenge,” 8 p.m.,” Wagler explained.
the University of Washington ing assistance. Her office also viced by my staff in teams of Wagler said. “Campus was es- Despite the reduced hours,
at Tacoma in Pierce County, helped them get a replacement two,” Bradrick said. sentially closed, and we had people valued the service.
Eastern Washington University ballot online and enabled stu- Wagler, who is from Billings, only a small number of stu- “A lot of people said they
in Spokane County, The Ever- dents to connect with the audi- said a number of people needed dents living on campus.” wouldn’t have voted if the hub
green State College in Thur- tor’s office to register. help. While some campus hubs hadn’t been there,” Wagler said.
ston County and Washington Bradrick said her office fol- “We had a lot of folks who were open a few days leading The majority of Western stu-
State University in Whitman lowed protocol to ensure the needed to re-register, people up to and including Election dents are not from Bellingham,
County. integrity of the ballots. whose ballots had been sent to Day, Western’s hours were she added.
Spokane, Wash. / Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Page 7 Sunday, September 5, 2021
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF WASHINGTON
First-time voter
Jacob Whitman,
18, drops his
ballot in the box
at the Spokane
County Elections
Office on Aug. 6,
2019, in Spokane.
Whitman took
advantage of
registering and
voting on the
same trip. Ten
public university
campuses in
the state offer
authorized voting
centers where
eligible voters
can register, re-
register and cast
ballots. Central
Washington
University in
Kittitas County
was the first to
offer on-campus
voting center.
DAN PELLE/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW
ELLENSBURG CAMPUS MODEL FOR VOTING PROGRAM
While 10 Student Engagement Hubs made voting provisional ballots so they could vote,” Pettit said. when, a few years ago, student government groups sat
more accessible for university students across Wash- “Every time a bus pulled up in front of the county down with Sen. Marko Liias, D-Everett, and drafted
ington starting in the spring of 2020, Central Washing- courthouse where our office is, there would be more legislation that became part of a voting law approved
ton University had the makings of the first center more lines of students seeking provisional ballots.” in 2020 that expanded voting hubs to all public univer-
than a decade ago. Deluged office staff members did their best to keep sity campuses in Washington. “It helps out auditors
“We’ve been doing this for a long time,” said Jer- up. But it was a massive effort. because you don’t have students showing up en masse
ry Pettit, who has been Kittitas County auditor since The following spring, at the university’s annual Civ- and auditors have a way to deliver critical information,”
2005. “We actually started what we called the Central ics Week, Pettit pitched an idea to ease the bottleneck: Liias said. “And students get the access they need.”
Washington University Elections Assistance Center in Set up an on-campus center at election time. Liias said despite improvements over the years,
2009. It was primarily coordinated by students at CWU “The students went crazy over it. And it’s happened youth voting still lags behind participation by older
and the Associated Students, but we supported it.” every general election since then,” Pettit said. “Stu- voters. The hubs, Liias said, remove more barriers for
Pettit said the idea surfaced in 2008, during the U.S. dents are happy that they don’t have to leave campus young people.
presidential election, when auditors’ offices weren’t to register or download their ballots, and we don’t have Pettit agreed. “The hubs provide opportunities to al-
forwarding CWU students their ballots. “Vote by mail lines out the door.” low more people to participate in the democratic pro-
was just starting out and students were trying to get Pettit explained the system became formalized cess.”
Page 8 Sunday, September 5, 2021 The Spokesman-Review
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF WASHINGTON
COURTESY OF PIERCE COUNTY AUDITOR’S OFFICE
Amy Blair makes use of an Accessible Voting Unit, which enables people who are blind or have low vision to access their ballot using audio or Braille. Pierce County Auditor Julie
Anderson said the AVU is available in the auditor’s office 18 days before every election.
Accessibility to ballot box, new technology
make difference for voters with disabilities
Julian F. Wheeler, who vol- Wheeler was injured and has a make all the difference for a per- Washington Secretary of State’s Pierce County Auditor Julie
unteers as an election observer service-related disability that son with a disability who wants Office. Anderson said the unit, available
in Pierce County, appreciates requires him to rely on some of to vote. Among those efforts are new 18 days before every election, al-
the ways officials continue to those improvements. State and federal laws as far technologies, such as the Acces- lows those who are blind or who
make voting more accessible. What might be a simple back as the 1965 Voting Act re- sible Voting Unit, which every have low vision to access their
A veteran of Operation Endur- change for some – a curb cut quired efforts to increase ac- county auditor’s office is re-
ing Freedom in Afghanistan, at a bus stop, for instance – can cessibility, according to the quired by law to have. See ACCESSIBILITY, 9
Spokane, Wash. / Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Page 9 Sunday, September 5, 2021
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF WASHINGTON
COURTESY OF PIERCE COUNTY AUDITOR’S OFFICE
The Accessible Voting Unit is required at all county elections offices in Washington to assist voters with disabilities.
ACCESSIBILITY cursor.”
For those who are deaf, the
audio voters’ pamphlet for peo-
ple who are blind or have visual
Accessibility is a consider-
ation in locating the county’s 22
“We want to make it possible
for all of our voters to be able to
Continued from 8 voting unit features a video re- issues. “In the past, we recorded ballot drop boxes, too. vote,” she added.
mote interpreter. the pamphlets on CDs, and then, “For people with disabilities The state’s vote-by-mail pro-
ballots via audio and use a touch “In 30 seconds, we can get an when we created our website, who don’t have to get out of gram improves accessibility for
paddle with Braille marks. American Sign Language inter- people were able to access them their vehicles to vote, that can many. “With a mailbox, it means
“Another tactic for low-vision preter,” Anderson said. “It’s an there, listening on MP4 files.” be important,” Garber said. you have a ballot box right out-
voters is that the screen can blow iPad on wheels, and it’s valuable Garber said the auditor’s of- She noted the Clark County side your home,” she said.
up the size of the ballot and has because an auditor can’t always fice has worked with a disability office has worked to strategical- For Wheeler, the veteran
contrast controls,” she said. “For have an in-person interpreter on advisory committee on the bet- ly locate drop boxes. who returned from Afghanistan
people with other disabilities, hand.” ter ways to provide information. “The city of Vancouver put with a medical disability, the
such as a degenerative muscle In Vancouver, Washington, The recordings are inexpensive, in a device on one street so we improvements in accessibility
disease, where they can’t hold a Elections Supervisor Cathie Garber said, noting it costs $200 could put up a platform so peo- mean a great deal. “This is what
pen or use a keyboard, they can Garber said the Clark County to $600 for an audio specialist to ple driving both ways on the I fought for, for more opportuni-
use their breath to navigate their Auditor’s Office has produced an record them. street could use the drop box. ties for all.”
Page 10 Sunday, September 5, 2021 The Spokesman-Review
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF WASHINGTON
National Woman Party’s chairwoman Alice Paul, second from left, and officers of
the National Woman’s Party hold a banner in June 1920 with a Susan B. Anthony
quote in front of the National Woman Party’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Marchers stream across the Alabama River in this March 21, 1965, photo on the first of a
five-day, 50-mile march to the state capitol at Montgomery. Martin Luther King Jr. and
Coretta Scott King, front right, led the procession of civil rights activists that pressured
ASSOCIATED PRESS Congress to pass the Voting Rights Act.
TIMELINE: THE RIGHT TO VOTE
Original voting African American Native American Right to vote All Native Poll Voting age Washington state
requirements of males given right to vote males given right extended to women Americans taxes lowered creates same-day
the 13 states: to vote with conditions given right outlawed to 18 voter registration
1868 1920 to vote
1789 The 14th Amendment is passed, 1887 Women win the vote 1964 1971 2018
The Supreme Court with the passage of 1947 The 24th With the In Washington state,
•Male granting citizenship and the
right to vote to former male rules Native Ameri- the 19th Amendment The right Amendment Vietnam War automatic voter
• 21 years of age slaves. However, Southern can men can vote if to the U.S. Constitu- to vote is to the U.S. raging, the 26th registration, same-day
states implement taxes and they give up their tion. (Wyoming is the extended Constitution Amendment voter registration, and
• White
literacy tests to prevent African tribal affiliation. first state to give to all outlaws poll passes, lowering the Future Voter
• Property owner Congress later says women the right to Native taxes. the voting age program signed into
American men from voting.
• In some states, They also use intimidation and they will have to vote in 1890, Wash- Americans. to 18. law.
Protestant violence to suppress the Black apply for citizenship. ington in 1910.)
vote.
1800
1800 1900 2000
Nonproperty-owners People of Immigrants from Japan All Asian Voting Rights Act Felons given
given right to vote Chinese ancestry and India banned from Americans the right to vote
banned from citizenship and voting given right 1965
1856 voting to vote The 1965 Voting Rights Act 2021
The requirement to 1922-1923 New Washington
1882 1952 bars states from imposing
own property is The U.S. Supreme Court restrictions on who can vote, law restores right
Congress passes rules immigrants from The right to
eliminated in all including eliminating literacy to vote to people
laws barring Japan can’t become vote is
states. tests. The Voting Rights Act convicted of a
people of citizens and vote. extended to
all Asian of 1965 is readopted and felony after they
Chinese Immigrants from India are
Americans. strengthened in 1970, 1975, serve their time.
Source: Staff research ancestry from similarly barred in 1923.
voting. and 1982.
THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEWSpokane, Wash. / Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Page 11 Sunday, September 5, 2021
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF WASHINGTON
HERE’S WHEN TO EXPECT A BALLOT TO ARRIVE
IF YOU’RE A WASHINGTON STATE VOTER
Registered voters in Washington tricts, city councils and county com- for an office. In Washington, for all In odd number years, voters select
are mailed ballots whenever there’s missions, seeking voter permission public offices except United States candidates for city and town offices
an election in the community where to raise taxes or asking voters if they president, the two candidates who and other local governments, includ-
they live. want to approve a certain law. Local receive the most votes – regardless ing school boards and fire district
That will happen at least once a governments can also chose to use of party – advance to the November boards.
year, but could happen up to four the August or November elections to election. That means two Repub- In odd number years, a race that
times. pose these questions to voters. licans or two Democrats could ad- includes two or fewer candidates
Dates of elections are set by Wash- If a voter lives in a location where vance. will not appear on the primary bal-
ington law. no local government has opted to The November election is called lot. In those circumstances, the can-
They are: seek voter approval for a tax or oth- the general election. This is the elec- didates move directly to the general
• The second Tuesday of February. er proposal, voters there will not be tion that selects the final winners for election ballot.
• The fourth Tuesday in April. mailed special election ballots. political offices. In even number years, races with
• The first Tuesday in August. Candidates for public office are In even number years, voters select two or fewer candidates will appear
• The first Tuesday after the first selected only in the August and No- candidates for county offices, state on the primary ballot even though
Monday in November. vember elections. Legislature and Congress. Every four both candidates are almost certain
The February and April elections The August election, called a pri- years coinciding with the presiden- to advance to the November election.
are considered “special elections” mary, is used to eliminate all but the tial election, executive state offices, Rules require that ballots be
and are used by local governments, two most popular candidates when including governor, attorney general mailed to voters at least 18 days prior
including school boards, fire dis- more than two candidates are vying and secretary of state are chosen. to an election.
State elections website helps voters track their ballots
Washington’s state elec- who currently represent the Washington
tion website allows voters area, including a member of Secretary
to keep track of their ballots Congress, county commis- of State
to ensure they get counted. sioners, city council mem- Kim Wyman
But it does much more bers and school board mem- talks to
than that. bers. reporters in
Voters can check the sta- Beyond that, voters can her office
tus of their ballots at Vote- get background on issues on Jan. 15,
WA.gov. From there, they and candidates who will ap- 2020, at
can type in their names and pear on their next ballots. the Capitol
birthdays to find out if their Once voters type in their in Olympia.
ballots have been mailed by names and birthdays, they’ll Wyman’s
the county elections office, get a voter guide specif- office
and, if so, if they have been ic to their neighborhoods. operates the
returned and accepted. Names of all the candidates VoteWA.
Voters also can check to who will appear on their gov website,
make sure they’re regis- ballots will be included, as which allows
tered or registered to vote will other information and Washington
at the proper address. background about candi- voters to
If they’re not, they can dates who choose to partic- check on
register to vote or change ipate in the voter guide. If a the status of
their addresses online if proposition or initiative is their ballots.
they have the proper docu- on a voter’s ballot, the vot-
mentation. er guide will include infor-
The website, operated mation about those as well
by the state Secretary of as statements in favor and
State’s office, pulls up a list opposed, if citizens stepped
of elected representatives forward to provide them. ASSOCIATED PRESSPage 12 Sunday, September 5, 2021 The Spokesman-Review
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF WASHINGTON
TEEN VOTER SIGN-UP PROVING
WORTH IN GREATER PARTICIPATION
Psychology experts
who help people establish
good habits say it’s best to
start working on creating
those habits early, which
explains why many offi-
cials and others seeking to
boost voter participation
so broadly support the Fu-
ture Voter program.
“Kids who get interest-
ed in civics at an early age
tend to become active, life-
long voters,” Secretary of
State Kim Wyman said of
the program that went into
effect July 1, 2019.
For 16- and 17-year-olds
in Washington who reg-
ister for the Future Voter
program, signing up means
they are automatically reg-
istered to vote when they
turn 18.
And with support from
the Office of Superinten-
dent of Instruction, teach-
ers help students prepare
for the new responsibility.
In mid-January, on Tem-
perance and Good Citizen-
ship Day, teachers offer a
collection of special les-
sons and programs, some
of which can be found in
the Classroom Guide to
Voter Registration on the
Secretary of State’s web-
site.
Young voter JESSE TINSLEY/THE SPOKESMAN-REIVEW
participation is up Braden Albertini, left, and Isaac Hansel, second from left, fill out voter registration forms under the watchful eye of Bev Austin, right, of the League
Statistics indicate the of Women Voters, on Jan. 16, 2019, at a table in the entryway of Lewis and Clark High School. The nonpartisan group visit local high schools and
program may be working. offering voter registration to young people. Though they must be 18 to vote, teens ages 16 and 17 can sign up for delayed registration that will
According to the secretary make them eligible on their 18th birthdays.
of state’s “2020 Report on
Elections in Washington the country – including in creased more than 13%. At Spokane Public Schools’ she used to give each of registered at 18.
State,” nearly 73% of reg- Washington – was high- the 2016 general election, Susie Gerard has seen the her students a voter regis- It’s become a popular
istered 18- to 24-year-olds er than usual in the 2020 about 60.2% of eligible impact on students first- tration card on their birth- program, Gerard said.
voted in the 2020 election. general election. Among 18- to 24-year-olds were hand. Gerard, who taught day when they turned 18. She and others who par-
That’s up nearly 14% from people age 65 and old- registered to vote, but four at Spokane’s Lewis and The Future Voter pro- ticipate are careful to in-
2016, when only 59% of er, participation went up years later, after the Fu- Clark High School for 33 gram broadens that oppor- troduce the Future Voter
registered 18- to 24-year- 2% between the 2016 and ture Voter program was in years before becoming the tunity to all students and program as an option.
olds voted. 2020 general elections. place, that number was 9% district’s secondary social makes those who sign up
True, turnout across But the youth vote in- higher. studies coordinator, said at 16 or 17 automatically See TEENS, 13Spokane, Wash. / Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Page 13 Sunday, September 5, 2021
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF WASHINGTON
TEENS signed up, according to
the Secretary of State’s
Continued from 12 Office.
“We’ve never made it a “One of the best invest-
requirement. It’s not high ments we can make for
pressure at all.” our future is to educate
And when students sign young people,” said Secre-
up, Gerard said she and tary of State Kim Wyman.
other teachers are careful “Instilling a sense of com-
not to influence how they mitment to community at
vote. an earlier age better pre-
“We just want to influ- pares them for lifelong
ence them to vote.” civic participation.”
They also help students Bergquist is adamant it
learn where to find infor- is beneficial to introduce
mation that aligns with civics to young people.
their beliefs. The pro- “When they turn 18,
gram has other benefits, they have as much of a
too. For one, Gerard said, right to vote in our sys-
“They are a little more in- tem. If we aren’t prepar-
terested in the news.” ing them early, they will
State Rep. Steve Bergq- be less informed,” Bergq-
uist, who helped craft the uist said. “What better
Future Voter legislation, way is there?”
said the program pro-
motes greater account- To sign up for
ability. Future Voter
“They feel their re- A 16- or 17-year-old
sponsibilities sooner,” he Washington citizen has
said. “It opens their eyes four options for signing
to the world around them up to be a Future Voter:
and makes voting more • Online at VoteWa.gov
real and relevant.” using a driver’s license or
Bergquist graduated state ID.
from Western Washing- • Mailing in a paper
ton University’s teaching Washington State Voter
program and taught social Registration form avail-
studies in Renton before able on the secretary of
he was elected to the Leg- state’s website.
islature in 2012. • In person at your
When he started teach- county elections office or
ing, Bergquist remem- when you get your driv-
bers teens asking him er’s license or ID at the
why they should care and Department of Licensing.
what civics had to do with • At your school’s Tem-
them. perance and Good Citi-
“I told them they zenship Day event in Jan-
should always care about uary.
their community and that • If a would-be Future
they have a huge oppor- Voter doesn’t have a driv-
tunity to get involved,” he er’s license, they can com-
said. “But they didn’t get plete and mail in a paper
it. It didn’t resonate.” form, using the last four
Shortly after reaching digits of their Social Secu-
the Washington State- rity number.
house, Bergquist began For protection, the law
working on legislation exempts all information
that eventually became provided by minors from
the Future Voter program. the Public Records Act
“It took six years after I until they turn 18, and
was in office before we requires the Secretary of
finally were able to get a State’s office to obtain a
COURTESY bill past the goal post.” copy of the applicant’s
In the program’s first driver’s license or iden-
Spokane Public Schools’s Secondary Social Studies Coordinator Susie Gerard reviews a copy of “The State We’re
In,” a civics education textbook for middle and high school students produced by the League of Women Voters of year, more than 55,000 ticard signature from the
Washington. young people under 18 Department of Licensing.Page 14 Sunday, September 5, 2021 The Spokesman-Review
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF WASHINGTON
VOLUNTEER OBSERVERS BRING
CREDIBILITY TO ELECTIONS
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE PIERCE COUNTY AUDITOR’S OFFICE
Political party observers in Pierce County watch a meeting of the canvassing board during a recent election.
Trained volunteers who ton, the practice stretches to
watch paid election staff 1977, when legislation set up
members count and process a system of trained volunteers
ballots are necessary to our from both major political par-
democracy, says Christopher ties and independent groups
Johnson, who has volun- to observe workers in each of
teered to do just that for 15 the state’s 39 counties.
years in Pierce County. The system adds credibil-
“It has to be done,” said ity, say election officials and
Johnson, who has also co- observers from across the
ordinated Republican Party state.
volunteer observers in Pierce “It gives me peace of mind
County the past decade. to know that we are ensuring
Johnson, a retired statis- the expert and professional
tician, says election observ- handling of ballots by election
ing by certified volunteers is staff,” said Julian F. Wheeler,
like having citizens serve on Johnson’s counterpart, who
a jury. coordinates Democratic Party
“Collectively, the jury pro- observers in Pierce County.
cess works,” said Johnson. Nan Peele of the Taco-
“It doesn’t mean it’s perfect. ma-Pierce County League of
Likewise, properly run elec- Women Voters coordinates
tions that are observed work the third group of volunteer
well.” observers in Pierce County –
As far back as 2000 – and a collection of independents
likely even earlier – presiden- who don’t represent any party.
tial elections nationwide have The coordinators – Peele,
The Pierce County Auditor’s office is large enough to feature a glass-fronted walkway where observers can prompted calls for people to
watch election officials at work. watch the polls. In Washing- See OBSERVERS, 15Spokane, Wash. / Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Page 15 Sunday, September 5, 2021
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF WASHINGTON
Observers in
Pierce County
watch election
officials at work
from a glass-
fronted walkway.
PHOTO COURTESY
OF THE PIERCE
COUNTY AUDITOR’S
OFFICE
OBSERVERS they can’t touch machinery,”
said Mason County Auditor Pad-
The facilities and proximity of
observers to elections workers
County and I credit a lot of that
to the observers. We have very
office can accommodate three
observers from the Republican
Continued from 14 dy McGuire. They can’t speak vary from county to county, too. strong political party members Party, three from the Democrat-
directly with election workers “Our processing center is a who vouch for the security. It’s ic Party and two from candidates
Wheeler, and Johnson – say either. Instead, they are assigned former conference room and we good for us because it holds us and campaigns. “There is a max-
problems they’ve observed don’t a supervisor to whom they bring don’t have physical separation accountable. imum of eight observers at any
involve misconduct, despite issues. “If they have an issue, between workers and observ- “And it’s good for the voter one time,” McLaughlin said.
claims made nationally. they come find us.” ers,” McGuire said. because there are others veri- Despite the importance of the
“Most of the time the prob- McGuire said observers get to But his office recently installed fying that we are following our duty, Johnson from Pierce Coun-
lems we run into are election watch every aspect of ballot pro- cameras in the ballot-processing published procedures and acting ty cautions people from thinking
staff trying to be proficient and cessing. center, allowing people to watch with integrity.” observing will be exciting.
maybe they cut corners to be “They get to see ballots coming the location 24 hours a day, sev- Pierce has an area where the “I tell them it’s not like watch-
efficient,” said Johnson. “That’s in the door, our sorting process, en days a week online. public can drop by and observe ing paint dry. It’s like watching
when observers from both par- signature verification, opening “If someone says they saw from behind a see-through di- other people watch paint dry.”
ties see the problem. And it gets the envelopes, flattening the someone in the ballot-process- vider. That’s not the case in Spo- Exciting or not, most observ-
resolved.” ballots, checking the ballots and ing room at 3 in the morning, kane County, where Elections ers and elections officials agree
Observer training for vol- running the ballots through the we can say, ‘Let’s go look at the Manager Mike McLaughlin said that volunteer observers are
unteers differs from county to scanners.” tape.’” some 100 citizens have trained necessary.
county. In some, it’s a brief over- The most common issue ob- Julie Anderson, the Pierce to become observers. Spokane “When people tell me that
view; elsewhere it can be up to servers bring up, McGuire said, County auditor, said citizen ob- County has three groups of citi- elections are fraudulent, I say,
two hours of instruction. But it has to do with signature verifi- servers logged 1,121 hours during zen observers: groups appointed come watch,” said Mason Coun-
basically centers on this point: cation. Verifying signatures is the November 2021 general elec- by the two major political parties ty’s McGuire. “I think observ-
Observers observe and do not difficult and his staff takes annu- tion. and a group appointed by candi- ing is an important component
count or handle any processing. al training from the Washington “We had a very stable and dates or campaigns. in helping dispel this craziness
“They can’t touch ballots and State Patrol to master the skill. peaceful election in Pierce At a single time, the Spokane about fraudulent ballots.”Page 16 Sunday, September 5, 2021 The Spokesman-Review
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF WASHINGTON
BETTINA HANSEN/SEATTLE TIMES
Sherita Cooks drops her ballot in a King County Elections ballot drop box on Election Day for the midterms on Nov. 6, 2018, in Burien, Wash.Spokane, Wash. / Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Page 17 Sunday, September 5, 2021
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS
Washington’s vote-by-mail system
eliminates long lines to vote
League of Women Voters member
Beth Pellicciotti remembers how easy
she found voting when she moved to
Spokane after nearly 40 years in the
Midwest.
“I just couldn’t believe it,” Pellicciotti
said. “You can just about fall out of bed
in Washington and vote.”
The voting system Pellicciotti and her
husband, Joe, left in northwestern In-
diana was a far cry from what greeted
them after their 2015 move to Spokane.
First, they left a state where you couldn’t
vote by mail. And there were no absen-
tee ballots for when it was hard to leave
work to vote.
“They were hard to come by,” Pellicci-
otti said. “You just couldn’t request one.
You had to document you couldn’t vote
on Election Day, and in 40 years, I never
had an absentee ballot.”
Vote-by-mail, which has been the
law in Washington state since 2011, is a
benefit of living in the Evergreen State,
according to three Spokane voters who
moved to Washington in the last few
years.
“Coming to Washington, of course, we
were delighted to have the ballots mailed
to us,” said Jean Alliman, who moved
from Louisville, Kentucky, two years ago.
“It was very, very impressive to register
and then have our ballots mailed to us.”
Despite Kentucky not using vote by
mail, Alliman said she was fortunate that ASSOCIATED PRESS
she was able to avoid long lines at the King County Election office workers Kyria Tietze, left, and Joseph Emanuel collect ballots from a drop box the morning of Aug. 7,
polls. 2018, in Seattle.
“Over the 17 years we were there,
probably the longest we had to wait was long lines in Indiana as well because of Mexico; then Los Angeles; and most re- unpredictable.
30 minutes,” she said. Because she was her flexible work schedule. But others cently Spokane. “Now, to be able to fill out a ballot and
a professor and her husband was an ad- in the Hoosier state didn’t. “It wasn’t so “My husband is a surgeon and we drop it off at my local library ballot box is
ministrator for a nonprofit organization, much where I voted, but certain parts moved quite a bit for his training,” Telis pretty amazing,” Telis added.
they had flexible work schedules. That of northwest Indiana, especially during said. Even in New Mexico, which had Alliman, previously from Kentucky,
allowed them to pick and choose times presidential elections, had two-hour early voting – days before Election Day said she does miss an aspect of voting in
when the lines might be shorter. lines.” when voters could mark and turn in their person.
“We had friends who had to wait a Kate Telis, who lived in Waterville, ballots – Telis said her husband found it “There was a camaraderie that devel-
long time. They were able to go vote only Maine, and Washington, D.C., indicat- difficult to vote at times. oped by gathering with others to vote,”
before work and it was very, very stress- ed she voted by absentee ballots mailed “Doing his surgical training he was she said. “Waiting in line or going with
ful. Or after work, it cut into their family from her home in Montana. But she and often working 70 to 90 hours a week, neighbors to vote or putting on the ‘I vot-
time.” her husband returned to voting in person maybe more,” Telis said. “As a resident in ed’ sticker. It was something special that
Pelliccotti said she was able to avoid when they moved to Albuquerque, New medical school, your hours were always we miss and that is hard to re-create.”Page 18 Sunday, September 5, 2021 The Spokesman-Review
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF WASHINGTON
Redistricting panel
to release first draft
of legislative district
map Sept. 21
Every 10 years, the country redraws
its congressional and state legislative
district boundaries using U.S. Census
data.
In Washington, that process is done
by the state Redistricting Commission,
comprised of two Democrats, two Re-
publicans and one nonpartisan, non-
voting chair. Those members cannot
currently or within the last two years be
registered lobbyists or elected officials.
The 2021 commission includes Chair
Sarah Augustine, executive director of
the Dispute Resolution Center of Yaki-
ma and Kittitas Counties; Democratic
appointees April Sims, secretary trea-
sure of the Washington State Labor
Council AFL-CIO, and Brady Piñero
Walkinshaw, former state representa-
tive; and Republican appointees Paul
Graves, former state representative, and
Joe Fain, former state senator.
The first Redistricting Commission ASSOCIATED PRESS
redrew boundaries in 1991. Until then, Washington state Rep. Tarra Simmons, D-Bremerton, holds blank voter registration forms as she poses for a photo at her home
it was the Legislature that was charged Dec. 9 in Bremerton. Simmons was incarcerated herself before being released and becoming a lawyer. “Her success is what
with redistricting. we want for all people who are completing their prison term,” Sen. Patty Kuderer, D-Bellevue, said during a floor debate on
The commission will take the 2020 restoring voting rights for felons. “Let’s give that opportunity to others as well by restoring their voices and their right to vote.”
U.S. Census data, which shows popula-
Washington residents with felonies
tions and demographics of the state, and
determine the best way to redraw the
state’s district boundaries. According to
state and federal laws, the districts must
encompass equal numbers of people, as
may soon have voting rights restored
much as possible and ensure minorities
have an equal opportunity to elect rep-
resentatives. Districts cannot be physi-
cally separated, and boundaries for cit-
ies, counties and neighborhoods with
common interests must be respected. As of this election cycle, those parole or under some community Registering can be done online at
They cannot favor any party or candi- convicted of a felony in Washing- custody will be able to vote. But that VoteWA.gov or mailing or turning
date. ton can have their voting rights re- law doesn’t go into effect until Jan. in-person a form to their county
According to the commission’s Au- stored upon completing community 1, 2022. elections department.
gust monthly meeting, the state’s leg- supervision with the Department of For this November’s general elec- When the Legislature’s new law
islative districts must include roughly Corrections, but beginning in 2022, tion, those with felonies can have goes into effect in 2022, those with
157,251 people each, and the Congres- those rights will expand even fur- their voting rights restored upon felonies will have their voting rights
sional districts must include roughly ther. completion of community custody. automatically restored upon release,
770,528 people each. The Legislature passed a bill in When their right is restored, either as long as they are not serving a sen-
The first draft of the legislative dis- 2021 that automatically restores the through a certificate of discharge, tence in total confinement. Total
trict map will be released Sept. 21. The right to vote for those convicted of a court order, final order of discharge confinement means 24-hour con-
first draft of the congressional district felony, as long as they are not serv- or certificate of restoration, they can finement inside a facility or institu-
map will be released Sept. 28. Final ing a sentence in total confinement. re-register to vote with the secretary tion operated by the Department of
maps should be released by Nov. 15. That means even those currently on of state’s office. Corrections.You can also read
