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• Introduced by Sen. Joe McDermott, (D-West Seattle) (D) on January 19, 2009, revises provisions related to voter registration, including redefining identification needed for voter registration application, and status of voters in military service.
  • Referred to the Senate Government Operations and Elections Committee on January 19, 2009.
    • Substitute offered in the Senate on February 16, 2009, to extend the period of time that a person or organization that collects voter registration applications has to transmit the forms to the Secretary of State from three days to five days. Language is added to clarify that a registration may be canceled if the applicant has failed to provide proper identification through two federal general elections and that a voter who is already registered to vote is not required to go through the ID check each time the voter transfers the registration from one address to another. Also absentee ballots to overseas and service voters must still be mailed according to federal law. The substitute passed in the Senate by voice vote on February 16, 2009.
    • Referred to the Senate Ways & Means Committee on February 16, 2009.
  • Referred to the Senate Rules Committee on February 23, 2009.
• Passed in the Senate (32 to 16) on March 3, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the House on March 5, 2009.
  • Referred to the House State Government and Tribal Affairs Committee on March 5, 2009.
    • Amendment offered in the House on March 20, 2009, to add language to make it clear that persons over the age of 18 years also may register to vote. The amendment failed in the House by voice vote on March 20, 2009.
    • Referred to the House General Government Appropriations Committee on March 26, 2009.
      • Amendment offered in the House on April 3, 2009, to restrict the Secretary of State from using State General Fund moneys for the implementation of the bill. The amendment passed in the House by voice vote on April 3, 2009.
  • Referred to the House Rules Committee on March 25, 2009.
• Passed in the House (60 to 37) on April 14, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the Senate on April 20, 2009. Passed in the Senate (32 to 17) on April 20, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Signed by Gov. Christine Gregoire on May 8, 2009, requires that if the driver's license number, state identification card number, or last four digits of the Social Security number provided by an applicant do not match the information maintained by the Washington Department of Licensing (DOL) or the Social Security Administration (SSA), or if the applicant does not provide a Washington driver's license, Washington state identification card, or a Social Security number, the applicant must be provisionally registered to vote. Describes proper identification verification procedures and the process for voter registration, including time line requirements .