IL26-126 is now IP26-500. On February 2, Representative Jim Walsh submitted the next version of an initiative that would add burdensome requirements to the voter registration rules. IP26-500 is an initiative to people that must get over 309K signatures by July 2 to be placed on the ballot in November 2026. The previous effort, IL26-126, failed to gather enough signatures by January 2026.
IP26-500 is Similar to the SAVE America Act
While the U.S. Senate is home for a break, the vote for the SAVE America Act in on hold, however the vote suppression tactics continue in Washington state with IP26-500. Both proposals aim to address voting processes and election security, but actual make it harder for eligible voters to vote. The SAVE America Act, short for "Safeguard American Voter Eligibility," proposes measures that impact how voters are registered and verified.
Washington State Secretary of State Hobbs talks about the expensive of implementation of the SAVE America Act changes. Many of the previsions are like the ones required in IP26-500.
In his statement, Hobbs, says the SAVE Act could affect nearly 900,000 voters. A preliminary analysis prepared by the Office of the Secretary of State and the Washington Association of County Auditors estimates that the cost for the 2026 midterms would increase by between $35.7 and $39.3 million. Money the state has not budgeted.
The Fact is Noncitizens Are Not Voting. Mail-In Voting IS Safe and Tested
Despite claims by supporters of IP26-500, the incidence of noncitizens voting in Washington is miniscule. Mail-in voting is deeply rooted in the United States, having been successfully used for more than 150 years.
Who would IP26-500 Impact Most?
- The nearly 3 out of 4 Washingtonians without an enhanced driver's license.
- The roughly 38% of Washingtonians without a valid passport.
- About 1.6 million Washington women whose current name does not match the one on their birth certificate because they changed their name when they married. The LWV confirmed in a recent study that more women vote, then men and therefore could be disproportionately affected.
- Washingtonians with mobility issues or who live in rural areas with limited access to transportation.
- Working Washingtonians who cannot take time off from their jobs to wait in line at a government office to present the required documentation.
- Washingtonians who never had a certified birth certificate to begin with, or who do not have access to it. The Brennan Center for Justice documented that millions of Americans don’t have documents proving their Citizenship readily available.
- Washingtonians who can't afford the fees required to get the required documentation.
Join the Effort to Make Sure IP26-500 Doesn't Go to the Ballot
- Tell friends and neighbors about this bad proposed initiative.
- If you see signature gathering, please let us know—but do not interfere with the signature collection.
- If you belong to an organization that would like to join the effort, please have them submit a sign-up form on the IP26-500 webpage.
Find more information on the League's efforts to defeat this initiative on the IP26-500 webpage. Unnecessary administrative burdens, and the risk of disenfranchising eligible voters is not worth it. The LWVWA believes it will undermine the integrity and accessibility of Washington’s election system. Decline to Sign IP26-500.
