Washington Administrative Code
Title 434 - Secretary of State
Chapter 434-250 - Elections by mail
Section 434-250-110 - Processing ballots
Current through Register Vol. 23-24, December 15, 2023
(1) Ballot processing definitions:
(2) Prior to initial processing of ballots, the county auditor shall notify the county chair of each major political party of the time and date on which processing shall begin, and shall request that each major political party appoint official observers to observe the processing and tabulation of ballots. If any major political party has appointed observers, such observers may be present for initial processing, final processing, or tabulation, if they so choose, but failure to appoint or attend shall not preclude the processing or tabulation of ballots.
(3) Initial processing includes, but is not limited to:
(4) Initial processing of voted ballots may begin as soon as voted ballots are received. Initial processing includes digital scanning and resolution of ballots where tabulation does not take place. All ballots must be kept in secure storage until final processing. Secure storage must employ the use of numbered seals and logs, or other security measures which will detect any inappropriate or unauthorized access to the secured ballot materials when they are not being prepared or processed by authorized personnel. The county auditor must ensure that all security envelopes and return envelopes are empty, either by a visual inspection of the punched hole to confirm that no ballots or other materials are still in the envelopes, or by storing the envelopes with a tie, string, or other object through the holes.
(5) Final processing of voted ballots, which may include scanning ballots on an optical scan voting system, may begin after 7:00 a.m. on the day of the election. Final processing may begin after 7:00 a.m. the day before the election if the county auditor follows a security plan that has been submitted by the county auditor and approved by the secretary of state to prevent tabulation until after 8:00 p.m. on the day of the election.
(6) Tabulation may begin after 8:00 p.m. on the day of the election.
(7) In counties tabulating ballots on an optical scan vote tallying system, the vote tallying system must reject all overvotes and blank ballots.
Amended by WSR 14-06-040, filed 2/26/14, effective 3/29/2014
Amended by WSR 18-10-003, Filed 4/19/2018, effective 5/20/2018
Amended by WSR 19-01-102, Filed 12/18/2018, effective 1/18/2019
Amended by WSR 19-12-115, Filed 6/5/2019, effective 7/6/2019
Statutory Authority: RCW 29A.04.611. 12-14-074, § 434-250-110, filed 7/2/12, effective 8/2/12. Statutory Authority: RCW 29A.04.611, 29A.04.620, and 29A.04.630. 11-24-064, § 434-250-110, filed 12/6/11, effective 1/6/12. Statutory Authority: RCW 29A.04.611. 08-15-052, § 434-250-110, filed 7/11/08, effective 8/11/08; 05-17-145, § 434-250-110, filed 8/19/05, effective 9/19/05.