SB 5017 Washington Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Adopting national standards for uniformed and overseas civilian voting, including conforming amendments to existing statute.

Senate Bill 5017 adopts national standards for voting by uniformed service members and overseas civilians, conforming Washington state law with federal provisions for these voters. It defines "covered voters" to include military personnel, their dependents, and U.S. citizens living abroad who are eligible to vote in Washington. The bill designates the Secretary of State to implement these standards, requiring them to provide voter registration and ballot information, establish an electronic system for materials, and develop standardized absentee-voting forms for these voters.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Feb 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 12, 2026 Last action Feb 26, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Bill → Substitute Bill · 7 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates Washington State's election laws to align with federal standards for military and overseas voters. Key changes include shortening the deadline for requesting special absentee ballots from 100 to 90 days, removing the requirement for overseas voters to sign return envelopes, and adding new options for proving identity. The bill also establishes a new electronic ballot portal and clarifies registration procedures for covered voters.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of identity verification exemptions to include all registered voters updating their records, not just overseas or service voters, and clarifies that overseas voters can use standard ballots without signing the return envelope.

TIMELINE

Reduced the deadline for requesting special absentee ballots from 100 days to 90 days before an election.

ELIGIBILITY

Removed the requirement for overseas and service voters to sign the return envelope of an absentee ballot.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new method for proving identity: proof of eligibility under the federal uniformed and overseas citizens absentee voting act.

Added a check box or other indication on voter registration applications as a way to identify covered voters.

Changed the deadline for receiving faxed, emailed, or electronically returned ballots from Pacific Standard Time to Pacific Time.

ENFORCEMENT

Established a new requirement for an electronic ballot portal for UOCAVA voters, with a mandate to report progress annually by December 1st.

DEFINITION

Updated the definition of a 'special absentee ballot' to reflect the new 90-day request window.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 12, 2025

How they voted

41–10

Passed

Total votes 51

Feb 12, 2025

D Democratic31

31 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican20

10 Yea 10 Nay

50% Nay

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jan 12, 2026

Introduced

By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.

upper

Apr 2, 2025

Committee

Referred to Rules 2 Review.

lower

Apr 1, 2025

Lower · Passed

Minority; do not pass.

lower

Apr 1, 2025

Lower · Passed

SGOV - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).

lower

Apr 1, 2025

Lower · Passed

Executive action taken in the House Committee on State Government & Tribal Relations at 1:30 PM.

lower

Mar 14, 2025

Lower · Passed

Public hearing in the House Committee on State Government & Tribal Relations at 8:15 AM.

lower

Feb 12, 2025

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (41-10)

senate

Jan 17, 2025

Upper · Passed

Minority; without recommendation.

upper

Jan 17, 2025

Upper · Passed

Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections at 10:30 AM.

upper

Jan 14, 2025

Upper · Passed

Public hearing in the Senate Committee on State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections at 1:30 PM.

upper

1 primary · 6 co-sponsors