2025 Elections Legislation
Bills in green are supported. Bills in red are opposed by the League. Bills in black the League is watching.

Priority Bills

HB 1116 Recognizing election day as a holiday and promoting civic education.
Makes the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November a “recognized legislative holiday” (Election Day) and directs the Secretary of State to create materials that can be used by state and local governmental entities, schools, etc. to offer educational programming on democracy and voting.

HB 1223 Limiting frivolous claims for voter registration challenges.
Limits frivolous attempts to remove registered voters from the voter rolls by strengthening the kind of information challengers must provide to prove that the challenged voter is deceased or otherwise no longer eligible to vote in the in which they are registered. The League believes every citizen legally eligible to vote in the jurisdiction where they live should remain on the voter rolls.

SB 5077 Automatic Voter Registration Expansion.
Expands WA’s Automatic Voter Registration (AVR) system to other state agencies that have the ability to confirm citizenship such at the Health Benefit Exchange, Naturalization agencies, and the Department of Corrections.  AVR lowers barriers to registration, streamlines voter registration updates, and increases the accuracy of voter roll information.

HB 1196 Full Voting Rights Restoration.
This bill states that a person's voting rights are revoked only when convicted of a state crime punishable by death. Governor Inslee removed the death penalty from state law in 2023. The LWV has a long history of advocacy for voting rights in underrepresented communities.

HB 1146 Voting Access in Jails and State Hospitals.
This bill improves access and removes barriers to voting in jails and state hospitals. The League of Women Voters of the United States believes that voting is a fundamental citizen right that must be guaranteed.

SB 5382 Petition signature gathers can be charged with a misdemeanor if they falsify.
Currently law requires that Initiative and Referendum petition signature gatherers swear that every petitioner signed their true name and correctly provided address and voluntarily signed without compensation. This bill makes it a misdemeanor to falsify signatures. These requirements align with similar requirements in many other states.

SJR 8008 Concerning Article V Conventions.
Rescinds prior applications for a constitutional convention. It is unclear whether applications from WA State for a constitutional convention ever expire and whether the scope set forth in the applications must be adhered to. Wealthy interest groups could exploit decisions made by our ancestors to amend the Constitution and remove or alter our federal rights. This bill does not prohibit future applications for a constitutional convention.

Bills For Which League Has Concerns

SB 5035 Concerning voter education
This bill places the burden on local governments to educate voters without the benefit of a statewide implementation plan. This legislation would allow any voter to file an action against the local voting jurisdiction and election office. This sets up local governments, and its taxpayers, to be assessed monetary damages if even one voter feels the public education and outreach campaign associated with the voting method change is inadequate. While we want voter education on new forms of voting, this provision is punitive to local auditors. 

SB 5017 Adopting national standards for uniformed and overseas civilian voting
This act conforms Washington voting law with federal law concerning voting rights for military and overseas voters by enacting the uniform military and overseas voters act. The League opposes this bill because Part 1 makes multiple references to developing and using “electronic equivalents” in voting and in registering to vote. There is increased risk in a single point of attack for electronic systems. There isn’t a well-developed plan for implementation and Washington has some of the best election laws in the country.

How To Be Involved

• If you are interested in a particular bill, use the links above to go to the webpage for that bill. These pages include staff summaries and reports including who testified PRO versus CON on the bill. There is also information about how to access videos of hearings that have been held.
  
• Read and take action through the LWVWA Legislative Action Newsletter, distributed each Sunday during the legislative session.
  
• You may also express your opinion on legislation with the LWVWA issue chairs. We will take your perspectives under consideration as we determine our support for legislation and prepare testimony. Please direct questions or comments to Alison McCaffree, Democracy Team Coordinator.