EXCLUSIVE: Washington Democrats propose bill to let people vote online

Washington Democrats are moving forward with new legislation to expand voting access in the mail-in ballot-only state to include an electronic portal, even as the state remains embroiled in federal litigation over its refusal to provide voter registration data to the US Department of Justice.

Senate Bill 6035 would authorize the Secretary of State to deploy a new electronic ballot return portal for certain categories of voters, including service members, overseas voters, disabled voters, and tribal members living on reservations. The legislation authorizes an electronic ballot portal for eligible voters, subject to security rules, testing, and reporting requirements.

Counties using the system would be required to track every ballot submission attempt and confirm that only eligible voters used the portal, with statewide reporting compiled annually. If enacted, the bill would take effect 90 days after adjournment of the legislative session, with full implementation required by January 1, 2029.

The legislation is sponsored by Sen. Claudia Kauffman, a Democrat from Kent, and is co-sponsored by Senators Jamie Pedersen, Noelle Frame, Marko Liias, T’wina Nobles, Marcus Riccelli, Patty Kuderer Slatter, Derek Stanford, Claire Wilson Trudeau, and Javier Valdez.

By proposing the legislation, Democratic lawmakers continue to prioritize expanding access to voting systems, despite ongoing concerns regarding accurate voter and election integrity. Washington is among 2 dozen states sued by the US Department of Justice for refusing to provide full statewide voter registration lists to federal investigators.

The DOJ says those records are required under federal law, including the National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, and Civil Rights Act of 1960, so the federal government can evaluate whether states are properly maintaining voter rolls.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who leads the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, has repeatedly said states do not have discretion to withhold voter data or condition its release. In a recent interview on The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI, Dhillon said Washington officials “do not get to second guess the federal government fulfilling federal law,” adding that the DOJ is reviewing records nationwide to identify registrations tied to deceased individuals, non-citizens, or voters who no longer reside in a jurisdiction.

The DOJ has already sued Washington, Arizona, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia, among others, and has warned that additional lawsuits are likely until every state complies.