New Washington law clarifies what is an ‘election’

After a court ruling challenged the state’s definition of “election,” lawmakers clarified the law to prevent double voting and maintain the integrity of Washington’s ballots. — Baskets of ballots for the November 2025 election at Thurston County’s ballot processing center. Photo courtesy Jake Goldstein-Street/Washington State Standard

The legislation sponsored by Sen. Adrian Cortes, D-Battle Ground, adds language to existing law to spell out that ‘election’ refers to any general, primary, or special election

Jerry Cornfield
Washington State Standard

A new state law aims to erase any confusion about Washington’s ban on voting more than once in an election.

Its approval follows a court decision that officials warned could incite voter fraud.

Longstanding Washington law makes it illegal for a person to cast more than one ballot in any election in the state, or to vote in any election in this state and another state during the same period.

But a state appeals court in January overturned the felony conviction of a Lewis County resident found guilty of voting twice in November 2022 — once in Washington and once in Oregon. The court concluded that because the candidates and measures differed on the two ballots, one could interpret them as different elections under Washington law.

“This fixes an ambiguity in state law,” Gov. Bob Ferguson said Tuesday before signing Senate Bill 6084. It contains an emergency clause and took effect immediately.

“Voting more than once in an election is an affront to everyone who participates in our democracy,” Ferguson later wrote on X. “This bill makes it clear that double voting is illegal.”

The legislation sponsored by Sen. Adrian Cortes, D-Battle Ground, adds language to existing law to spell out that “election” refers to any general, primary, or special election.

“An election is the ‘same election’ if the election date is the same, regardless of the candidates, offices, issues, or measures on the ballot and regardless of the date on which ballots are mailed or returned,” reads the bill.

Secretary of State Steve Hobbs asked lawmakers to act swiftly, worried the court ruling opened the door to the potential of voters casting more than one ballot in November.

“This legislation helps to ensure that Washington’s elections remain secure, accurate and fair,” Hobbs said in a statement.

In Washington, voting more than once in an election is a class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Meanwhile, Lewis County is appealing the January decision to the Washington Supreme Court.

This report was first published by the Washington State Standard.