Tag Archives: SB 5014

Sen. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick/Credit: Washington State Senate

Legislation to bolster Washington’s election security clears key hurdle

Sen. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick/Credit: Washington State Senate

OLYMPIA… Sen. Matt Boehnke’s bill to strengthen Washington’s election security was endorsed yesterday by the House State Government and Tribal Relations Committee, moving the proposal one step closer to a full House vote.

Senate Bill 5014 would expand the Secretary of State’s oversight of election equipment and platforms, require the disclosure of security breaches, and establish cybersecurity requirements for county election officials.

“These reforms are designed to protect voter integrity and ensure Washington’s election systems are safeguarded from cyber threats,” said Boehnke, R-Kennewick. ”With mail-in ballots, fortifying every step of the process is crucial to maintaining public confidence.”

The bill also requires state approval for election-related systems and mandates cybersecurity measures, including system partitioning, by July 1, 2027, unless an extension is granted.

“This legislation is intended to reinforce public trust and ensure Washington’s elections remain secure, transparent, and reliable. By implementing robust cybersecurity measures and oversight, we are safeguarding our democratic process for future generations.”

The 105-day legislative session began Jan. 13 and is scheduled to conclude on April 27. The last day to consider opposite house bills is April 16, by 5 p.m., except for initiatives and alternatives to initiatives, matters necessary to implement budgets, matters that affect state revenue, amendments, differences, and business related to the interim or closing the session.

For more information on Boehnke’s legislative work, visit mattboehnke.src.wastateleg.org.

 

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Senate unanimously passes Boehnke election-security bill

Sen. Matt Boehnke, R-Kennewick/Credit: Washington State Senate

OLYMPIA… The state Senate on Tuesday unanimously passed legislation from Sen. Matt Boehnke that is intended to improve the security of Washington’s electoral process.

Senate Bill 5014 would strengthen election security by expanding the Secretary of State’s oversight of equipment and platforms used in elections. It also would require election officials to disclose security breaches and set cybersecurity requirements for county election officers.

“These changes are crucial to ensuring the integrity and trustworthiness of our electoral process,” said Boehnke. “As we conduct elections entirely by mail-in ballots, safeguarding every step—from voter registration to ballot counting—is essential to maintain public confidence and uphold democratic principles.”

The 49-0 vote moves his bill to the House of Representatives for further consideration.

Washington has several election-security policies already in place, such as voter-verification laws that require election staff to undergo signature-verification training from the Washington State Patrol; equipment-certification standards that require ballot tallying equipment to be certified by an independent testing lab; and post-election audits that compare manual counts with machine results.

“This is a good bipartisan bill that shows a strong collaborative effort. It’s about giving counties more resources and adding a layer of oversight at the state level to help combat threats and ensure the accuracy of local and state elections,” Boehnke said.

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