Bill > HB1978

This bill addresses transparency concerns in election vote counting by requiring vendors of ballot tabulation equipment to disclose their source code. Specifically, the bill mandates that any contract with a ballot tabulation machine, hardware, or software vendor must include a provision requiring them to provide the county auditor with the source code of their election equipment. If the source code is not deemed confidential under existing law, the county auditor must make it available for public inspection and copying. The legislature's motivation stems from growing public skepticism about vote counting accuracy and a desire to increase voter confidence by allowing citizens to review the underlying programming of election equipment. The bill defines "source code" as the original computer programming language that describes the specific actions a computer uses to perform a task, essentially providing a technical blueprint of how the election equipment operates. By making this information accessible, the bill aims to address concerns about potential inaccuracies in vote tallying and encourage greater public trust in election processes.

Government Affairs

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1978&Year=2025&Initiative=false