Voter citizenship verif.

AN ACT Relating to requiring verification of citizenship for 1
voter registration; amending RCW 29A.08.010, 29A.08.123, 29A.08.210, 2
and 29A.08.350; adding a new section to chapter 29A.08 RCW; providing 3
an expiration date; and declaring an emergency. 4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:5
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 29A.08 6
RCW to read as follows: 7
(1) By July 1, 2025, each county auditor must consult with the 8
department of licensing to determine whether each registered voter in 9
the county has demonstrated proof of citizenship by applying for and 10
receiving an enhanced driver's license or identicard under chapter 11
46.20 RCW. 12
(2) If the registered voter has demonstrated proof of 13
citizenship, the voter shall remain registered. 14
(3)(a) If the registered voter has not demonstrated proof of 15
citizenship, the county auditor shall: 16
(i) Send a notice to the voter informing the voter that the voter 17
must appear in person at the auditor's office and demonstrate proof 18
of citizenship; 19
(ii) If the voter has not demonstrated proof of citizenship 30 20
days prior to the 2025 general election, send a second notice to the 21
H-0698.1
HOUSE BILL 1585
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Marshall, Eslick, Graham, Couture, Burnett,
Penner, McEntire, Corry, Griffey, Barkis, Chase, Volz, Keaton,
Waters, Walsh, and Barnard
Read first time 01/24/25. Referred to Committee on State Government
& Tribal Relations.
p. 1 HB 1585
voter informing the voter that the voter must appear in person at the 1
auditor's office and demonstrate proof of citizenship; and2
(iii) If the voter has not demonstrated proof of citizenship 14 3
days prior to the 2025 general election, cancel the registration and 4
send a notice to the voter. The notice must inform the voter that the 5
voter's registration is canceled and provide instructions for 6
registering to vote pursuant to RCW 29A.08.140(1)(b).7
(b) The following documents are proof of citizenship for the 8
purposes of (a) of this subsection: 9
(i) A valid United States passport; 10
(ii) A United States certificate of naturalization;11
(iii) A United States department of state consular report of 12
birth abroad; or 13
(iv) An original, certified birth certificate from a United 14
States birth place, issued by a city, county, state, or territory, 15
that contains all of the following: 16
(A) Full name and date of birth; 17
(B) Place of birth, which must be a United States location;18
(C) A registrar's raised, embossed, impressed, or multicolored 19
seal; 20
(D) A control or file number that the issuing authority can 21
confirm; 22
(E) A registrar's signature; and 23
(F) The date the certificate was filed with the registrar's 24
office. 25
(c) Birth certificates from Puerto Rico issued before July 1, 26
2010, are not accepted to satisfy the requirement in (b)(iv) of this 27
subsection. 28
(d) Washington wallet-sized birth registrations are not accepted 29
to satisfy the requirement in (b)(iv) of this subsection.30
(e) Upon being presented with proof of citizenship as described 31
in (a) and (b) of this subsection, the county auditor must 32
immediately reinstate the voter's registration. 33
(4) This section expires January 1, 2027. 34
Sec. 2. RCW 29A.08.010 and 2023 c 466 s 2 are each amended to 35
read as follows: 36
(1) The minimum required information ((provided on a voter 37
registration application )) in order to place a voter registration 38
applicant on the voter registration rolls includes:39
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(a) Name; 1
(b) Residential address; 2
(c) Date of birth; 3
(d) A signature attesting to the truth of the information 4
provided on the application; 5
(e) An address where the person receives mail, if different from 6
the residence address; ((and))7
(f) Affirmation of citizenship which confirms the individual is a 8
United States citizen, in one of the following forms:9
(i) A check or indication in the box on a voter registration form 10
confirming citizenship; or 11
(ii) Presentation of documents as part of another government 12
transaction confirming citizenship; and13
(g)(i) Proof of United States citizenship through:14
(A) A valid enhanced driver's license or identicard for which 15
proof of United State citizenship is required;16
(B) A valid United States passport;17
(C) A United States certificate of naturalization;18
(D) A United States department of state consular report of birth 19
abroad; or20
(E) An original, certified birth certificate from a United States 21
birth place, issued by a city, county, state, or territory, that 22
contains all of the following:23
(I) Full name and date of birth;24
(II) Place of birth which must be a United States location;25
(III) A registrar's raised, embossed, impressed, or multicolored 26
seal;27
(IV) A control or file number that the issuing authority can 28
confirm;29
(V) A registrar's signature; and30
(VI) The date the certificate was filed with the registrar's 31
office.32
(ii) Birth certificates from Puerto Rico issued before July 1, 33
2010, are not accepted to satisfy the requirement in (g)(i)(E) of 34
this subsection.35
(iii) Washington wallet-sized birth registrations are not 36
accepted to satisfy the requirement in (g)(i)(E) of this subsection.37
(2) The residential address provided must identify the actual 38
physical residence of the voter in Washington, as defined in RCW 39
29A.04.151, with detail sufficient to allow the voter to be assigned 40
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to the proper precinct and to locate the voter to confirm his or her 1
residence for purposes of verifying qualification to vote under 2
Article VI, section 1 of the state Constitution. A residential 3
address may be either a traditional address or a nontraditional 4
address. 5
(a) A traditional address consists of a street number and name, 6
optional apartment number or unit number, and city or town, as 7
assigned by a local government, which serves to identify the parcel 8
or building of residence and the unit if a multiunit residence.9
(b) A nontraditional address consists of a narrative description 10
of the location of the voter's residence, and may be used when a 11
traditional address has not been assigned or affixed to the voter's 12
residence or when a voter resides on an Indian reservation or Indian 13
lands, pursuant to the conditions in RCW 29A.08.112.14
(3) All other information supplied is ancillary and not to be 15
used as grounds for not registering an applicant to vote.16
(4) Modification of the language of the official Washington state 17
voter registration form by the voter will not be accepted and will 18
cause the rejection of the registrant's application.19
Sec. 3. RCW 29A.08.123 and 2023 c 363 s 1 are each amended to 20
read as follows: 21
(1) A person qualified to vote who has a valid:22
(a) Washington state enhanced driver's license;23
(b) Washington state identification card for which proof of 24
United States citizenship is required; 25
(c) Washington state learner's permit; 26
(d) Current valid Washington tribal identification; or27
(e) Social security number, 28
may submit a voter registration application electronically on the 29
secretary of state's website, and provide proof of the applicant's 30
United States citizenship from the department of licensing, the 31
federal government, the tribal government, or the applicant, and 32
either the state issued identification number, the tribal 33
identification number, or the last four digits of the person's social 34
security number. 35
(2) The applicant must attest to the truth of the information 36
provided on the application and confirm the applicant's United States 37
citizenship by reviewing the registration oath online and 38
affirmatively accepting the information as true. 39
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(3) For applicants using Washington state issued identification, 1
the applicant must affirmatively assent to use of the applicant's 2
driver's license or state identification card signature for voter 3
registration purposes. 4
(4) For applicants who are not using Washington state issued 5
identification, the applicant must submit a signature image by either 6
submitting a signature image to the secretary of state, or submitting 7
a signature image as part of the confirmation notice process.8
(5) A voter registration application submitted electronically is 9
otherwise considered a registration by mail. 10
(6) For each electronic application, the secretary of state must 11
obtain a digital copy of the applicant's driver's license or state 12
identification card signature from the department of licensing, the 13
voter, or tribal identification issuing authority.14
(7) The secretary of state may employ additional security 15
measures to ensure the accuracy and integrity of voter registration 16
applications submitted electronically. 17
Sec. 4. RCW 29A.08.210 and 2024 c 269 s 11 are each amended to 18
read as follows: 19
(1) An applicant for voter registration shall complete an 20
application providing the following information concerning the 21
applicant's qualifications as a voter in this state:22
(((1))) (a) The applicant's full name; 23
(((2))) (b) The applicant's date of birth; 24
(((3))) (c) The address of the applicant's residence for voting 25
purposes; 26
(((4))) (d) The mailing address of the applicant if that address 27
is not the same as the address in (c) of this subsection (((3) of 28
this section)); 29
(((5))) (e) The gender of the applicant; 30
(((6))) (f) The former address of the applicant if previously 31
registered to vote; 32
(((7))) (g) The applicant's Washington state driver's license 33
number, Washington state identification card number, or the last four 34
digits of the applicant's social security number if the applicant 35
does not have a Washington state driver's license or Washington state 36
identification card; 37
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(((8))) (h) A check box allowing the applicant to indicate 1
membership in the armed forces, national guard, or reserves, or 2
overseas voter status; 3
(((9))) (i) Clear and conspicuous language, designed to draw the 4
applicant's attention, stating that: 5
(((a))) (i) The applicant must be a United States citizen in 6
order to register to vote; and 7
(((b))) (ii) The applicant may register to vote if the applicant 8
is at least sixteen years old and may vote if the applicant will be 9
at least eighteen years old by the next general election, or is at 10
least eighteen years old for special elections; 11
(((10))) (j) A check box and declaration confirming that the 12
applicant is a citizen of the United States; 13
(((11))) (k) The following warning: 14
"If you knowingly provide false information on this voter 15
registration form or knowingly make a false declaration about your 16
qualifications for voter registration you will have committed a class 17
C felony that is punishable by imprisonment for up to five years, a 18
fine of up to ten thousand dollars, or both." 19
(((12))) (l) The oath required by RCW 29A.08.230 and a space for 20
the applicant's signatures. The secretary of state is encouraged to 21
provide applications for voter registration with multiple signature 22
blocks to assist in comparing signatures on ballot declarations; and23
(((13))) (m) Any other information that the secretary of state 24
determines is necessary to establish the identity of the applicant 25
and prevent duplicate or fraudulent voter registrations.26
(2) This information shall be recorded on a single registration 27
form to be prescribed by the secretary of state. 28
(3) Upon receipt of the applicant's registration form, the county 29
auditor shall contact the department of licensing to determine 30
whether the applicant has demonstrated proof of citizenship by 31
applying for and receiving an enhanced driver's license or identicard 32
under chapter 46.20 RCW.33
(a) If the applicant has proven citizenship, the applicant shall 34
be registered.35
(b)(i) If the applicant has not proven citizenship, the county 36
auditor shall send a notice to the voter stating that the voter 37
registration is incomplete and instructing the applicant that the 38
registration may be completed by appearing in person at the auditor's 39
office and demonstrating proof of citizenship through:40
p. 6 HB 1585
(A) A valid United States passport;1
(B) A United States certificate of naturalization;2
(C) A United States department of state consular report of birth 3
abroad; or4
(D) An original, certified birth certificate from a United States 5
birth place, issued by a city, county, state, or territory, that 6
contains all of the following:7
(I) Full name and date of birth;8
(II) Place of birth, which must be a United States location;9
(III) A registrar's raised, embossed, impressed, or multicolored 10
seal;11
(IV) A control or file number that the issuing authority can 12
confirm;13
(V) A registrar's signature; and14
(VI) The date the certificate was filed with the registrar's 15
office.16
(ii) Birth certificates from Puerto Rico issued before July 1, 17
2010, are not accepted to satisfy the requirement in (b)(i)(D) of 18
this subsection.19
(iii) Washington wallet-sized birth registrations are not 20
accepted to satisfy the requirement in (b)(i)(D) of this subsection.21
(c) Upon being presented with proof of citizenship as described 22
in (b) of this subsection, the county auditor must immediately 23
complete the applicant's voter registration.24
Sec. 5. RCW 29A.08.350 and 2023 c 466 s 13 are each amended to 25
read as follows: 26
The department of licensing shall produce and transmit to the 27
secretary of state the following information from the records of each 28
individual who requested to register to vote or update the 29
individual's existing voter registration at a driver's license 30
facility: The name, address, date of birth, any gender information 31
provided by the applicant, the driver's license number, signature 32
image, any language preference information collected, any phone 33
number provided by the voter, any email address provided by the 34
voter, confirmation that the applicant has provided proof of United 35
States citizenship to satisfy RCW 29A.08.010, and the date on which 36
the application for voter registration or update was submitted. The 37
secretary of state shall process the registrations and updates as an 38
electronic application. If requested by the secretary of state, the 39
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department shall provide copies of the documents submitted to prove 1
citizenship for an individual subject to this section.2
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. This act is necessary for the immediate 3
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of 4
the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes 5
effect immediately.6
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