85.38.130 - Election officials -- Duties -- Voting hours -- Challenged ballots -- Absentee ballots. - Washington Statutes

Election officials — Duties — Voting hours — Challenged ballots — Absentee ballots.

For special district elections that are not conducted by mail, the governing body of each special district shall appoint three voters of the special district, who may be members of the governing body, to act as election officials, unless the special district contracts with the county auditor to staff the election site. The election officials shall distribute a ballot or ballots to each voter of the special district who arrives at the voting place during the hours for the election on the day of the election and requests a ballot. Ballots shall also be provided to those persons arriving at the polling place during the hours for the election on the day of the election who present documents or evidence sufficient to establish their eligibility to vote. A person arriving at the polling place at such times who demands a ballot, but who fails to present documents or evidence which in the opinion of the election officials is sufficient to establish eligibility to vote, shall be given a ballot clearly marked as "challenged" and shall be allowed to vote. Each challenged ballot shall be numbered consecutively and a list of such persons and their ballot numbers shall be made.

     The governing body of each special district shall designate those hours from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. during which the election shall be held: PROVIDED, That at least six consecutive hours must be designated. When the election is over, the election officials shall secure the ballots and transport the ballots to the county auditor's office by noon of the day following the election. The auditor may, at his or her discretion, station a deputy auditor or auditors at the election site who shall observe the election and transport the ballots to the auditor's office. The auditor shall count the ballots and certify the count of votes for and against each measure and for each candidate appearing on the ballot. A separate count shall be made of any challenged ballots. A challenged ballot shall be counted as a normal ballot if documents or evidence are supplied to the auditor before 4:00 p.m. on the day after the election that, in the opinion of the auditor, are sufficient to establish the person's eligibility to vote.

     Additionally, voting by absentee ballot shall be allowed in every special district. A request for an absentee ballot may be made by an eligible voter by mail or in person to the county auditor who supervises the special district elections. An absentee ballot shall be provided to each voter of a special district requesting such a ballot under this section. A person requesting such a ballot may present information establishing his or her eligibility to vote in such a special district. The auditor shall provide an absentee ballot to each person requesting an absentee ballot who is either included on the list of presumed eligible voters or who submits information which, in the auditor's opinion, establishes his or her eligibility to vote. The names of these persons so determined to be eligible to vote shall be added to the list of presumed eligible voters for the appropriate special district. The request for an absentee ballot must be made no more than forty-five days before the election. To be valid, absentee ballots must be postmarked on or before the day of the election and mailed to the county auditor.

[1991 c 349 § 16; 1985 c 396 § 14.]