The bill, known as the "Free the Vote Act," amends various sections of Washington state law to restrict the revocation of voting rights to individuals convicted of state crimes punishable by death, referred to as "infamous crimes." Specifically, it defines an "infamous crime" as a state crime punishable by death and clarifies that neither juvenile adjudications nor convictions for misdemeanors or non-death penalty felonies qualify as such. The bill establishes that a person's voting rights are revoked only if they are convicted of an infamous crime in a Washington state court and sentenced to total confinement. Furthermore, it mandates that voting rights are automatically restored once the individual is no longer serving a sentence of total confinement.

In addition to the new definitions and restrictions, the bill includes provisions for the automatic restoration of voting rights, requiring individuals to re-register to vote after their rights have been restored. It also outlines the responsibilities of the Secretary of State in maintaining voter registration lists and ensuring that individuals who are ineligible to vote due to their convictions are notified of their status. The bill aims to simplify the process of regaining voting rights and to ensure that only those convicted of the most serious crimes lose their voting privileges.

Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 29A.04.079, 29A.08.520, 29A.08.230, 29A.08.810, 29A.68.020, 29A.68.011, 9.94A.030