The bill amends Washington's voter registration laws to enhance the management of voter registration lists and the process for challenging registrations. A significant change is that the registrations of deceased voters can only be removed from the official state list upon receipt of a signed statement from a registered voter, which must be confirmed by the county auditor or secretary of state. The bill also outlines new procedures for county auditors to reactivate inactive voters and specifies conditions for canceling inactive registrations, such as confirmation of death or registration in another state.

Additionally, the bill establishes stricter requirements for filing challenges to voter registrations, mandating that challenges be based on personal knowledge and requiring evidence of due diligence. It introduces a structured process for handling challenges, including proper notification to the challenged voter and a hearing if the challenge is valid. The bill also imposes penalties for challengers who provide false information or challenge registrations without reasonable cause, classifying false information as false swearing punishable by fines and unreasonable challenges as misdemeanors. Furthermore, it requires the Secretary of State to provide specific forms for voter registration challenges and mandates county auditors to cancel registrations if verified information indicates a voter has registered in another state more recently than in Washington.

Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 29A.08.510, 29A.08.630, 29A.08.810, 29A.08.820, 29A.08.835, 29A.08.840, 29A.08.850, 29A.08.135
Substitute Bill: 29A.08.510, 29A.08.630, 29A.08.810, 29A.08.820, 29A.08.835, 29A.08.840, 29A.08.850, 29A.08.135