Election day

AN ACT Relating to recognizing election day; amending RCW 1
1.16.050; adding a new section to chapter 29A.04 RCW; and creating a 2
new section. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that free and fair 5
elections are the cornerstone of American democracy, and the 6
corresponding right to vote is among the most fundamental privileges 7
of American citizenship. Holding steadfast to these principles, the 8
state of Washington has a long history of protecting Washingtonians' 9
right to vote in elections, easing barriers to participation, 10
combating attempts to suppress turnout, and promoting civic 11
engagement. As a result, Washington routinely ranks among the highest 12
states in the nation in voter participation, and it has some of the 13
most accessible voting policies in the nation.14
The legislature believes that celebrating election day serves as 15
an important reminder of the crucial role of elections in our 16
society. Further, the legislature believes that celebrating election 17
day encourages participation in the democratic process and instills 18
civic values in Washingtonians. Therefore, to increase awareness and 19
participation in elections, and to commemorate this foundational 20
H-0144.1
HOUSE BILL 1116
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Mena, Ramel, Berry, Reed, Paul, Macri, Farivar,
Doglio, Ortiz-Self, Simmons, Peterson, Nance, Ormsby, Fosse,
Salahuddin, Reeves, Richards, and Hill
Prefiled 12/23/24. Read first time 01/13/25. Referred to Committee
on State Government & Tribal Relations.
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American institution, the legislature intends to recognize the first 1
Tuesday after the first Monday of November as "election day."2
Sec. 2. RCW 1.16.050 and 2024 c 76 s 3 are each amended to read 3
as follows: 4
(1) The following are state legal holidays: 5
(a) Sunday; 6
(b) The first day of January, commonly called New Year's Day;7
(c) The third Monday of January, celebrated as the anniversary of 8
the birth of Martin Luther King, Jr.; 9
(d) The third Monday of February, to be known as Presidents' Day 10
and celebrated as the anniversary of the births of Abraham Lincoln 11
and George Washington; 12
(e) The last Monday of May, commonly known as Memorial Day;13
(f) The nineteenth day of June, recognized as Juneteenth, a day 14
of remembrance for the day the African slaves learned of their 15
freedom; 16
(g) The fourth day of July, the anniversary of the Declaration of 17
Independence; 18
(h) The first Monday in September, to be known as Labor Day;19
(i) The eleventh day of November, to be known as Veterans Day;20
(j) The fourth Thursday in November, to be known as Thanksgiving 21
Day; 22
(k) The Friday immediately following the fourth Thursday in 23
November, to be known as Native American Heritage Day; and24
(l) The twenty-fifth day of December, commonly called Christmas 25
Day. 26
(2) Employees of the state and its political subdivisions, except 27
employees of school districts and except those nonclassified 28
employees of institutions of higher education who hold appointments 29
or are employed under contracts to perform services for periods of 30
less than twelve consecutive months, are entitled to one paid holiday 31
per calendar year in addition to those specified in this section. 32
Each employee of the state or its political subdivisions may select 33
the day on which the employee desires to take the additional holiday 34
provided for in this section after consultation with the employer 35
pursuant to guidelines to be promulgated by rule of the appropriate 36
personnel authority, or in the case of local government by ordinance 37
or resolution of the legislative authority. 38
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(3) Employees of the state and its political subdivisions, 1
including employees of school districts and those nonclassified 2
employees of institutions of higher education who hold appointments 3
or are employed under contracts to perform services for periods of 4
less than twelve consecutive months, are entitled to two unpaid 5
holidays per calendar year for a reason of faith or conscience or an 6
organized activity conducted under the auspices of a religious 7
denomination, church, or religious organization. This includes 8
employees of public institutions of higher education, including 9
community colleges, technical colleges, and workforce training 10
programs. The employee may select the days on which the employee 11
desires to take the two unpaid holidays after consultation with the 12
employer pursuant to guidelines to be promulgated by rule of the 13
appropriate personnel authority, or in the case of local government 14
by ordinance or resolution of the legislative authority. If an 15
employee prefers to take the two unpaid holidays on specific days for 16
a reason of faith or conscience, or an organized activity conducted 17
under the auspices of a religious denomination, church, or religious 18
organization, the employer must allow the employee to do so unless 19
the employee's absence would impose an undue hardship on the employer 20
or the employee is necessary to maintain public safety. Undue 21
hardship shall have the meaning established in rule by the office of 22
financial management under RCW 43.41.109. 23
(4) If any of the state legal holidays specified in this section 24
are also federal legal holidays but observed on different dates, only 25
the state legal holidays are recognized as a paid legal holiday for 26
employees of the state and its political subdivisions. However, for 27
port districts and the law enforcement and public transit employees 28
of municipal corporations, either the federal or the state legal 29
holiday is recognized as a paid legal holiday, but in no case may 30
both holidays be recognized as a paid legal holiday for employees.31
(5) Whenever any state legal holiday: 32
(a) Other than Sunday, falls upon a Sunday, the following Monday 33
is the legal holiday; or 34
(b) Falls upon a Saturday, the preceding Friday is the legal 35
holiday. 36
(6) Nothing in this section may be construed to have the effect 37
of adding or deleting the number of paid holidays provided for in an 38
agreement between employees and employers of political subdivisions 39
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of the state or as established by ordinance or resolution of the 1
local government legislative authority. 2
(7) The legislature declares that the following days are 3
recognized as provided in this subsection, but may not be considered 4
legal holidays for any purpose: 5
(a) The thirteenth day of January, recognized as Korean-American 6
day; 7
(b) The twelfth day of October, recognized as Columbus day;8
(c) The ninth day of April, recognized as former prisoner of war 9
recognition day; 10
(d) The twenty-sixth day of January, recognized as Washington 11
army and air national guard day; 12
(e) The seventh day of August, recognized as purple heart 13
recipient recognition day; 14
(f) The second Sunday in October, recognized as Washington state 15
children's day; 16
(g) The sixteenth day of April, recognized as Mother Joseph day;17
(h) The fourth day of September, recognized as Marcus Whitman 18
day; 19
(i) The seventh day of December, recognized as Pearl Harbor 20
remembrance day; 21
(j) The twenty-seventh day of July, recognized as national Korean 22
war veterans armistice day; 23
(k) The nineteenth day of February, recognized as civil liberties 24
day of remembrance; 25
(l) The thirtieth day of March, recognized as welcome home 26
Vietnam veterans day; 27
(m) The eleventh day of January, recognized as human trafficking 28
awareness day; 29
(n) The thirty-first day of March, recognized as Cesar Chavez 30
day; 31
(o) The tenth day of April, recognized as Dolores Huerta day;32
(p) The fourth Saturday of September, recognized as public lands 33
day; 34
(q) The eighteenth day of December, recognized as blood donor 35
day; 36
(r) The fifteenth day of May, recognized as water safety day;37
(s) The ninth day of March, recognized as Billy Frank Jr. day; 38
((and))39
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(t) The date corresponding with the second new moon following the 1
winter solstice, or the third new moon following the winter solstice 2
should an intercalary month intervene, recognized as the lunar new 3
year; and4
(u) The first Tuesday after the first Monday of November, 5
recognized as election day. 6
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 29A.04 7
RCW to read as follows: 8
The legislature encourages state governmental entities, local 9
governments, schools and institutions of higher education, and 10
cultural organizations to recognize election day and engage in 11
educational programming related to democracy and voting. The office 12
of the secretary of state shall create election day programming and 13
materials that these entities may use in planning and structuring 14
their recognitions. For purposes of this section, "election day" is 15
the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November.16
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