On February 12, the Washington State Committee on State Government & Tribal Affairs passed HB 1624, to establish internet voting for military and overseas voters. It now goes to the Appropriations Committee, where it will be heard on February 25. The bill has opposition from people who worry that the procedure isn’t safe; the normal state law mandating a paper trail is waived for this type of voting. A companion bill in the Senate is SB 5522.
There are similar bills in the Alabama legislature, but they haven’t moved yet. They are SB 180 and HB 377. Also, there are bills to study voting by internet in Colorado (HB 1205), Hawaii (SB 631 and HB 468), Missouri (HB 613), Montana (SB 367), New Mexico (HB 487), Oregon (HB 2511), and Texas (HB 71 and SB 92). Virginia has HB 1881, to authorize sending the ballot overseas electronically but requiring that it be mailed postally back to the United States.
Richard,
If you will post this on electionlawblog, I will respond with some additional information relevant to deciding whether this set of initiatives is beneficial to the voting public. If you already have posted it there and my email is slow, I’ll eventually get it and can respond.
Thanks! –Candice in Cleveland
Your blog is interesting!