Washington State Democracy Legislation & ACTION NEEDED

The Washington State legislative session is now underway for 2026. As a reminder,  Washington state's legislative session begins on the second Monday in January. The Washington state legislature operates on a biennium, meaning each legislative session lasts two years and bills that are not passed in the first year are automatically carried over to the next year. This is the SECOND year of the biennium, which is a shorter session lasting 60 days. Bills introduced last year that did not pass have carried over to this year, in addition to new bills introduced this session.

Bill Summary:  

• Permits the adoption of ranked choice voting (RCV) in elections for offices in counties, cities, towns, school districts, fire districts, and port districts until December 31, 2032, and establishes certain requirements for RCV ballot design and vote tabulation.

• Requires jurisdictions that adopt RCV to provide educational materials for the public and pay implementation costs.

More info:  

House Bill 2210 recognizes that local governments need clear and flexible authority to adopt alternative election systems like ranked-choice voting (RCV) and proportional representation — tools that help reduce vote splitting, reflect voter preferences more accurately, and support effective local governance. It would:

• Authorize local jurisdictions for a period of six years to choose to adopt ranked-choice voting, proportional representation, or other approved election methods. Once a jurisdiction opts in during that period, it can continue using that election method thereafter.

• Provide clearer legal authority for local options that currently lack sufficient statutory clarity, reducing uncertainty and litigation risk around adopting alternative voting methods.

• Support democratic resilience by offering practical tools for local governments during a period of evolving federal voting rights protections.

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HB 2260 - Requirements pertaining to signatures and addresses of ballot measure petitioners and petition signature gatherers.

Bill Summary: 

An ACT Relating to requirements pertaining to signatures and addresses of ballot measure petitioners and petition signature gatherers; amending RCW 29A.72.110, 29A.72.120, and 29A.72.130; adding new sections to chapter 29A.72 RCW; and prescribing penalties.

Status & Hearings:

• Scheduled for public hearing in the House State Government & Tribal Relations Committee on January 21st at 1:30 PM. (Committee materials) You can view the hearing HERE.

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Initiative & Referendum Reform:

HB 2259 (Companion SB 5973) – Protecting the integrity of the state initiative and referendum process by requiring a demonstration of support before issuance of a ballot measure title and authorizing citizen actions for certain signature gatherer compensation violations.

Status & Hearings: 

• Scheduled for public hearing in the House State Government & Tribal Relations Committee on January 21st at 1:30 PM. (Committee materials) You can view the hearing HERE. 

Bill Summary: 

• An ACT Relating to protecting the integrity of the state initiative and referendum process by requiring a demonstration of support before issuance of a ballot measure title and authorizing citizen actions for certain signature gatherer compensation violations; amending RCW 29A.72.010, 29A.72.020, and 29A.72.030; adding new sections to chapter 29A.72 RCW; and prescribing penalties.

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Protecting Voter Registration Database:

SB 5892 - Voter registration database protection.

Bill Summary: AN ACT Relating to protecting the voter registration database; amending RCW 42.56.425 and 29A.84.150; prescribing penalties; and declaring an emergency

Status & Hearings: 

• Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections on January 20th at 1:30 PM. (Committee materials) You can view the hearing HERE.

• Scheduled for executive session in the Senate Committee on State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections on January 23rd at 10:30 AM. (Committee materials) You can view the hearing HERE.

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Voting Access:

SB 6035 - Ensuring access to voting services for military, overseas, Native American, and disabled voters.

Bill Summary: 

Status & Hearings: AN ACT Relating to ensuring access to voting services for military, overseas, Native American, and disabled voters; adding a new chapter to Title 29A RCW; and providing an expiration date.

• Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections on January 20th at 1:30 PM. (Committee materials) You can view the hearing HERE.

• Scheduled for executive session in the Senate Committee on State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections on January 23rd at 10:30 AM. (Committee materials) You can view the hearing HERE.

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PRIORITY BILL:

Jail Voting Access:

HB 1146 – Improving access and removing barriers to voting in jails

Status & Hearings: 

• The bill was referred to the House Appropriations committee last session. This session, the bill was reintroduced and retained in present status. We expect some amendments to this bill to focus on just jail access and not state hospitals, as well as other amendments, to lower the fiscal note.

• No hearing scheduled yet.

Past Substitute Bill Summary: 

• Requires county auditors to create a Voting Plan (Plan) for each jail and state hospital within the county, including details about how the jail or hospital will help people who are incarcerated register to vote and access and complete a ballot.

• Requires jails and state hospitals to implement their Plans and provide voter registration information, ballot-related information, and ballots to people who are incarcerated.

• Authorizes the Office of the Attorney General (AGO) to investigate and bring an action against a county, jail, or state hospital for a violation of this act and authorizes the court to award $25,000 per violation to the AGO for remittance to the Office of the Secretary of State to use towards increasing accessibility for voters in jails and state hospitals.

• Requires the Secretary of State to contract with the University of Washington Evans School of Public Policy and Governance to identify challenges and make recommendations related to voter registration and voting access for people who are incarcerated in jail or patients in a state hospital.

Amended Bill Summary:  TBD

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PRIORITY BILL:

Protections Against Voter Reg. Challenges:

HB 1916 - Amending voter registration challenges and managing voter registration lists.

Status & Hearings: 

• The bill was referred to the House Rules committee last session. This session, the bill was reintroduced and retained in present status. 

• Waiting to see if the House Rules Committee will take action and move the bill to the floor.

Bill Summary: 

• Amends the process, permitted evidence, and penalties for challenging a voter's registration.

• Clarifies when a voter's registration is canceled or removed from the voter registration list.

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SCR 8406 - Reestablishing the joint select committee on civic health.

Bill Summary:  

Reestablishes the Joint Select Committee on Civic Health.

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HB 2206 - Adopting national standards for uniformed and overseas civilian voting, including conforming amendments to existing statute.

Bill Summary:  

An ACT Relating to adopting national standards for uniformed and overseas civilian voting, including conforming amendments to existing statute. More summary details to come.

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Voting Rights Restoration:

HB 1196 – Revoking a person's voting rights only when convicted of a state crime punishable by death.

Status & Hearings: 

• The bill was referred to the House Rules committee last session. The bill has been reintroduced and retained in present status.

Bill Summary: 

• This bill would revoke a person's voting rights only when convicted of a state crime punishable by death.

• It would amend Washington state's RCW (Revised Code of Washington) definition of "infamous crime" as a state crime punishable by death.

• This definition applies for purposes of voter qualifications and does not apply when the term "infamous crime" is used in other titles of the Revised Code of Washington, unless otherwise stated or the context requires otherwise.

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Act for Civic Engagment:

HB 1147 – Supporting civic engagement for incarcerated and institutionalized individuals in state custody to promote inclusion and rehabilitation.

Status & Hearings: 

• The bill was referred to the House Appropriations committee last session. The bill has been reintroduced and retained in present status.

Bill Summary: 

• Ensures that all individuals, including those in state institutions, have the opportunity to participate in civic life.

• Allows people in state institutions to form groups and engage in civic discussions.

• Enables interaction with the public, politicians, and advocacy groups.

• Provides tools for participation in virtual meetings with community groups, lawmakers, and forums.

• Prevents retaliation for taking part in civic processes.

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Election Day Holiday:

HB 1116 – Recognizing election day as a state holiday.

Status & Hearings: 

• The bill was referred to the House Rules committee last session. The bill has been reintroduced and retained in present status.

Bill Summary: 

• The state recognizes the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November, recognized as election day as a state holiday.

• The legislature encourages state governmental entities, local governments, schools and institutions of higher education, and cultural organizations to recognize election day and engage in educational programming related to democracy and voting.

• The office of the secretary of state shall create election day programming and materials that these entities may use in planning and structuring their recognitions. For purposes of this section, "election day" is the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November.

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Voter Pamplets for Primary Elections:

SB 5069 – Requiring the secretary of state to print and distribute a voters' pamphlet for the primary in each even-numbered year and for the general election every year.

Status & Hearings: 

• The bill was referred to the Senate Ways & Means committee last session. The bill has been reintroduced and retained in present status.

Bill Summary: 

• Requires the secretary of state to print and distribute a voters' pamphlet prior to the primary in each even-numbered year and prior to the general election every year.

• Provides that local voters' pamphlets printed and distributed by county auditors are not required to provide information on measures and candidates appearing in a voters' pamphlet produced by the secretary of state.

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Other democracy related bills we are following: 

HJR 4209 - Concerning congressional redistricting between decennial censuses.

Bill Summary: 

• Proposes a state Constitutional Amendment to allow the legislature to redraw districts outside of usual redistricting cycle that take place every ten years following the census. In January of each year ending in one, a commission shall be established to provide for the redistricting of state legislative and congressional districts.

Status & Hearings: Scheduled for public hearing in the House State Government & Tribal Relations Committee on January 21st at 1:30 PM. (Committee materials) You can view the hearing HERE.

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HB 2333 (Companion bill: SB 6095) - Protecting elected officials and candidates, executive state officers, election officials, and criminal justice participants against threats and incidents of political violence.

Bill Summary: 

• Adds protections against threats or harassment of elected officials by providing for increased penalties for the crime of harassment, expanding the Address Confidentiality Program to elected officials, and providing for residential security assessments and necessary personal security measures to address dangers or threats that would not exist but for the individual's status or duties as an elected official.

• Prohibits the disclosure of the residential address of elected officials, candidates, criminal justice participants, election officials, and those who reside with any such person, contained in campaign finance reports or records, property records, voter registration rolls, and candidate declarations.

• Expands the types of reimbursable out-of-pocket personal expenses for campaign and surplus funds to include expenses incurred to purchase a personal security measure.

• Creates the Legislative Member Security Account and authorizes a legislator to use funds from that account or their member business expense account to pay for necessary personal security measures.

Status & Hearings: A public hearing was held in the House Committee on State Government & Tribal Relations on January 14th. You can view the hearing HERE.

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HB 2262 - Civics education for public school students through instruction and information about the production and use of official signature.

Bill Summary: 

• An ACT Relating to civics education for public school students through instruction and information about the production and use of official signatures; amending RCW 28A.230.094 and 29A.60.300; adding 4 a new section to chapter 28A.305 RCW; and creating a new section.

Status & Hearings: No hearing scheduled yet.

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HB 2341 - Celebrating national voter registration day - third Tuesday of September of each year, or the following Tuesday if the third Tuesday of September falls on a major religious holiday.

Bill Summary: 

• An ACT Relating to celebrating national voter registration day; amending RCW 28A.230.150; adding a new section to chapter 28A.230 RCW; and creating a new section.

Status & Hearings: No hearing scheduled yet.

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