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WACs > Title 434 > Chapter 434-250 > Section 434-250-110
434-250-105
434-250-120
Agency filings affecting this section
WAC 434-250-110
Processing ballots.
(1) "Initial processing" means all steps taken to prepare ballots for tabulation. Initial processing includes, but is not limited to: (a) Verification of the signature and postmark on the ballot declaration; (b) Removal of the security envelope from the return envelope; (c) Removal of the ballot from the security envelope; (d) Manual inspection for damage, write-in votes, and incorrect or incomplete marks; (e) Duplication of damaged and write-in ballots; (f) Scanning and resolution of ballots on a digital scan voting system; and (g) Other preparation of ballots for final processing. (2) "Final processing" means the reading of ballots by an optical scan voting system for the purpose of producing returns of votes cast, but does not include tabulation. (3) "Tabulation" means the production of returns of votes cast for candidates or ballot measures in a form that can be read by a person, whether as precinct totals, partial cumulative totals, or final cumulative totals. (4) Prior to initial processing of ballots, the county auditor shall notify the county chair of each major political party of the time and date on which processing shall begin, and shall request that each major political party appoint official observers to observe the processing and tabulation of ballots. If any major political party has appointed observers, such observers may be present for initial processing, final processing, or tabulation, if they so choose, but failure to appoint or attend shall not preclude the processing or tabulation of ballots. (5) Initial processing of voted ballots, which may include scanning and resolving ballots on a digital scan voting system, may begin as soon as voted ballots are received. All ballots must be kept in secure storage until final processing. Secure storage must employ the use of numbered seals and logs, or other security measures which will detect any inappropriate or unauthorized access to the secured ballot materials when they are not being prepared or processed by authorized personnel. The county auditor must ensure that all security envelopes and return envelopes are empty, either by a visual inspection of the punched hole to confirm that no ballots or other materials are still in the envelopes, or by storing the envelopes with a tie, string, or other object through the holes. (6) Final processing of voted ballots, which may include scanning ballots on an optical scan voting system, may begin after 7:00 a.m. on the day of the election. Final processing may begin after 7:00 a.m. the day before the election if the county auditor follows a security plan that has been submitted by the county auditor and approved by the secretary of state to prevent tabulation until after 8:00 p.m. on the day of the election. (7) Tabulation may begin after 8:00 p.m. on the day of the election. (8) In counties tabulating ballots on an optical scan vote tallying system, the vote tallying system must reject all overvotes and blank ballots. (a) All rejected ballots shall be outstacked for additional manual inspection. (b) The outstacked ballots shall be inspected in a manner similar to the original inspection with special attention given to stray marks, erasures, and other conditions that may have caused the vote-tallying device to misread and reject the ballot. (c) If inspection reveals that a ballot must be duplicated in order to be read correctly by the vote tallying system, the ballot must be duplicated. [Statutory Authority: RCW 29A.04.611. WSR 14-06-040, § 434-250-110, filed 2/26/14, effective 3/29/14; WSR 12-14-074, § 434-250-110, filed 7/2/12, effective 8/2/12. Statutory Authority: RCW 29A.04.611, 29A.04.620, and 29A.04.630. WSR 11-24-064, § 434-250-110, filed 12/6/11, effective 1/6/12. Statutory Authority: RCW 29A.04.611. WSR 08-15-052, § 434-250-110, filed 7/11/08, effective 8/11/08; WSR 05-17-145, § 434-250-110, filed 8/19/05, effective 9/19/05.]
