Bill > SB5669

This bill concerns modernizing and clarifying election procedures for irrigation districts in Washington state. The bill updates several key aspects of irrigation district elections, including expanding voting methods by allowing districts to conduct elections entirely by mail-in ballots, simplifying ballot and voting requirements, and establishing new election security standards. Specifically, the bill allows districts to choose mail-in ballot elections, modifies absentee voting procedures by removing previous restrictions on who can vote by mail, and standardizes ballot envelope requirements for ensuring voter privacy. The legislation also introduces comprehensive election security measures for districts, such as requiring two individuals to be present during ballot processing, mandating secure ballot boxes with tamper-evident seals, establishing challenge and cure procedures for ballots, and creating public transparency requirements for election processes. Additionally, the bill updates voting eligibility rules, including clarifying voting rights for entities like corporations and partnerships, and modifying voting allocation rules. The bill includes penalties for election-related violations, making it a gross misdemeanor to interfere with or improperly handle ballots or voting processes. These changes aim to make irrigation district elections more accessible, secure, and transparent.