SB 5817
In CommitteeSenate
Election security
Creating the state elections confidence using rigorous examination act.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
This bill, called the SECURE Act, strengthens election security by requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration, mandating photo ID for in-person voting, and launching a study on voter registration system vulnerabilities. It also expands voting center access and sets new rules for handling ballots with missing or mismatched ID.
- Creates the State Elections Confidence Using Rigorous Examination (SECURE) Act, requiring the Secretary of State to contract with the University of Washington Evans School to study voter registration system security—including duplicate registrations, death/departure updates, and use of driver’s license numbers as unique identifiers—and submit a report by January 1, 2027.
- Amends voter registration requirements to mandate proof of U.S. citizenship (e.g., documentary proof per federal executive order or other government transaction) and clarifies acceptable forms of residential address (traditional or nontraditional).
- Requires the Department of Licensing to transmit additional data—including driver’s license number, signature image, phone/email, and processing agent info—to the Secretary of State for voter registration applications submitted at DMV facilities.
- Strengthens in-person voting procedures: voters must now present valid photo ID (e.g., driver’s license, state ID, tribal ID, federal ID) and sign a declaration under penalty of perjury; provisional ballots are required if ID is missing or mismatched.
- Imposes new rules for ballots missing or mismatched photo ID: county auditors must notify voters by mail, phone, or text; if a voter fails to provide valid ID in two consecutive elections, auditors must contact them to request ID at next vote; ballots with missing/mismatched ID are not counted in recounts.
- Expands voting center requirements—including locations (e.g., libraries), accessibility, equipment (e.g., one certified unit for blind/visually impaired voters), and procedures for handling provisional ballots and voter interference.
Who is affected
- Voter registration applicants and in-person voters — Must now provide proof of U.S. citizenship (e.g., documentary proof as defined in a federal executive order or other government transaction documentation) when registering to vote; must present valid photo ID when voting in person at a voting center.
- Department of Licensing — Must provide voter registration and citizenship verification data to the Secretary of State; may be asked to supply documents used to confirm citizenship; must ensure accurate transmission of voter registration data from driver’s license facilities.
- University of Washington Evans School and Secretary of State — Must conduct security studies on the voter registration system, analyze gaps (e.g., duplicate registrations, death or residency changes), and issue recommendations to improve accuracy and security by January 1, 2027.
- County auditors — Must ensure voting centers are accessible, provide required materials (e.g., ballots, provisional ballots, disability access units), verify voter signatures and photo IDs, and follow strict procedures for handling provisional ballots and missing or mismatched IDs.
- Residents applying for an identicard (especially low-income, youth, and justice-impacted individuals) — May receive a free or reduced-fee identicard if they meet certain criteria (e.g., low income, under 25 without fixed address, recently released from state custody); must provide updated photo ID every 8 years (or 6 years if chosen).
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for benefits
Potential Benefits (5)
The mandated security study by the University of Washington Evans School aims to improve voter registration system accuracy — including duplicate detection, death/departure updates, and unique ID usage — which could reduce long-term administrative errors and fraud risks. While the $0–$250,000 cost is modest, the findings may inform future system improvements that benefit election administration statewide.
Local GovernmentPeopleRef: Sec. 1Expanding voting center requirements — including in cities ≥100,000 population during presidential elections — increases physical access to in-person voting, especially in underserved urban areas. This may improve voter convenience and reduce long lines, though implementation costs fall on counties.
Local GovernmentLean peopleRef: Sec. 5, subsection (2)(b)The bill provides free or reduced-fee identicards for specific vulnerable groups (youth without fixed address, formerly incarcerated individuals), which may reduce barriers to civic participation and employment verification for those populations. However, the broader fee structure ($72 standard) remains high for low-income Washingtonians not in the specified categories.
Business & EmploymentPeopleRef: Sec. 7, subsection (1)(c)(ii–iii)Requiring voting centers to be accessible and include disability access units, one certified voting unit for blind/visually impaired voters, and no-interference provisions strengthens equitable access and election integrity. These provisions align with existing ADA standards and may improve confidence in the voting process for people with disabilities.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 5, subsection (4)Mandating DOL to transmit additional data (e.g., signature image, phone, email) to the Secretary of State improves data matching for voter registration accuracy and may reduce fraud. However, this increases DOL’s administrative burden and raises privacy concerns — though the bill does not specify data security protocols.
Local GovernmentLean peopleRef: Sec. 3
Potential Concerns (5)
Mandating documentary proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration may create administrative barriers for eligible voters who lack such documentation — especially low-income, elderly, or transient individuals — potentially reducing voter participation. While the bill allows alternative forms (e.g., documents from another government transaction), many everyday Washingtonians may not possess or know how to obtain these forms without assistance.
Rights & LibertiesRef: Sec. 2, subsection (1)(f)Requiring valid photo ID for in-person voting may disproportionately affect voters without access to current, government-issued photo ID — including low-income individuals, youth, and recently unhoused people — even with free/low-cost identicard options. The bill’s free identicard pathways are limited to specific groups (e.g., public assistance recipients, youth without fixed address, formerly incarcerated), leaving others (e.g., working-class seniors, disabled individuals not on public assistance) potentially uncovered.
Rights & LibertiesRef: Sec. 5, subsection (10)(b)Requiring auditors to contact voters who miss photo ID in two consecutive elections may create a burden on voters to proactively respond, especially those with limited access to phone or stable mail service (e.g., unhoused, rural, or elderly voters). While intended to improve accuracy, this could lead to de facto disenfranchisement if voters fail to respond or lack reliable contact information.
Rights & LibertiesRef: Sec. 6, subsection (4)Prohibiting ballots with missing or mismatched photo ID from being counted in recounts removes a safeguard for voters whose ballots may have been misprocessed — especially those in close races or marginalized communities. This could reduce electoral accountability and increase uncertainty in contested elections, even if the underlying reason for ID failure was administrative error.
Rights & LibertiesRef: Sec. 6, subsection (5)Mandating multiple notification methods (mail, phone, text, email) for missing/mismatched ID increases administrative complexity and risk of inconsistent implementation across counties, especially in rural or under-resourced jurisdictions. This could lead to inconsistent voter outreach and potential due process concerns if notifications are not reliably delivered.
Public SafetyRef: Sec. 6, subsection (2)
Who Is Most Affected
Voters without current photo ID or citizenship documentation may face new barriers to registration and voting, especially low-income, elderly, youth, and recently unhoused individuals. While free/low-cost identicards exist for some groups, many working-class and rural residents may still struggle to comply.
DOL must now collect, verify, and transmit citizenship-related data and additional voter registration fields. This increases operational costs and legal liability risk if data is inaccurate or misused — especially given no explicit data security requirements in the bill.
The University of Washington Evans School will conduct a state-contracted study on voter registration security. While this may enhance election integrity, the limited budget ($0–$250K) and one-time report (Jan 2027) suggest modest impact — more symbolic than transformative without follow-up legislation.
County auditors face new obligations: expanded voting center requirements, provisional ballot procedures, ID verification, and multi-channel voter notification. These increase staffing, equipment, and training costs with no specified state funding, straining already-overburdened local election offices.
Low-income, youth, and justice-impacted individuals may benefit from free/low-cost identicards under specific criteria, but many others (e.g., working-class seniors, disabled people not on public assistance) still face $72 fees — a significant barrier to obtaining required ID.