King County Breaks State Election Law

For the presidential preference primary last week, King County gave out a single ballot for the Republican and Democratic parties. So if you signed on the sheet for one party or the other, when you voted, you could choose to vote for either party.

This violates RCW 29A.56.050, which states:

(2) If requested by a major political party, the secretary of state shall adopt rules under RCW 29A.04.620 to provide for any declaration required by that party.

(3) Voters who subscribe to a specific political party declaration under this section must be given ballots that are readily distinguishable from those given to other voters. Votes cast by persons making these declarations must be tabulated and reported separately from other votes cast at the primary and may be used by a major political party in its allocation of delegates under the rules of that party.

Sherril Huff talks about how separate ballots are more confusing for voters (I don't see how having only the choices that the voter chose to have available to themselves could be MORE confusing), and higher costs, but that doesn't change the fact that state law clearly states that voters who sign one party's declaration must be given a separate ballot than other voters.

Whatever reasons Huff thinks she has for doing it this way, it doesn't justify breaking the law.