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OLYMPIA - With the Nov. 3 General Election right around the corner, uncertainty looms surrounding the back-and-forth of federal mail-in ballot restrictions.
The Office of the Secretary of State and Attorney General's Office released a guide Thursday, specifically outlining state and federal roles in election administration for county election officials.
According to a press release from the Office of the Secretary of State, the purpose of the guide is to support county election officials, in case they have any interactions with federal officials leading up to Nov. 3.
For our state specifically, elections are administered by each county. The press release said local officials requested guidance when it comes to potential interactions with federal personnel or other officials at voting centers. AG Brown said he hopes this guide is a useful resource for county election officials.
"Washington state elections are successful thanks to the tireless efforts of local elections workers in all 39 counties. Their work is as important and demanding as ever in our current political climate, and the state is ready to support them," AG Brown said.
The guide dove into roles in election administration, along with state authorities. It emphasized on page 4 that, "While Congress may pass laws concerning federal elections, the Supreme Court has made clear that the "default" for administering congressional elections belongs to the States. Foster v. Love, 522 U.S. 67, 69 (1997).
Further, the guide outlined who—of federal personnel—election officials could potentially encounter, such as election monitors from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), congressional election observers, FBI or DOJ investigators and Department of Homeland Security investigators. The guide then outlined next steps in navigating interactions with personnel like these, both verbal or subpoena requests as well.
The press release clarified, too, that federal law enforcement personnel cannot legally intimidate voters at county election sites.
The Source: Information in this story came from the Office of the Secretary of State.
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