Nearly 400 voters under 18 years of age voted in the Primary in Whatcom County on August 1, 2023 and we know a lot less about them that we used to about over year old 18 voters.
RCW 29A.08.170: Registration at 16 or 17 Years old (the current version passed in 2020) stipulates that 17 year old can vote in a Primary if they turn 18 by the General election day that year:
Here’s the RCW:
RCW 29A.08.170
Registration at age 16 and 17.
Voter Eligibility
- Voter Eligibility Resources
VOTE TODAY
- Voter Eligibility
To register to vote in the state of Washington, you must be:
- A citizen of the United States
- A legal resident of Washington state for at least 30 days prior to election day
- At least 18 years old
- If you are 16 or 17, you can sign up as a Future Voter and be automatically registered to vote when you qualify
- Not disqualified from voting due to a court order
- Not currently serving a sentence of total confinement in prison under the jurisdiction of the department of corrections for a Washington felony conviction
- Not currently incarcerated for a federal or out-of-state felony conviction
It’s easy and secure to register online, by mail with a paper form, or at a county elections office. Check your registration at VoteWA.gov.
Meanwhile a search of the Secretary of State’s sight of who can VOTE returns several links to Voter registration information but does not expressly define who can or cannot vote in certain jurisdictions. It turns out that the RCW above allows 17 year olds to vote in the Presidential Primary and the State Primary in Washington State IF they turn 18 by the November Election.
The RCW above does seem to define that a 17 year old CAN vote in the Presidential Primary and so on. Does that mean that following the date of the Presidential Primary they can voter in any election (including special and local elections on other issues)
The reaction of the Secretary of State of Washington’s office was to remove certain voter information from the public because of privacy issues for those under 18 years of age appearing on the Voter Database. One of the key pieces of information to get the identity of the voter has been removed from EVERYONE’s Record. In consequence those who would like to verify who has voted in an election, outside government, no longer have a date of birth to compare there search to. Campaigns no longer have a capability to easily find their new constituents in their districts or otherwise.
And because of the “need” to keep a children aged person’s information private (those who vote)many of the people who work in our Auditor’s offices around the state have one less thing to provide to concerned private entities in the auditor’s battle to be more transparent in the process.
What do you think?
Please send us your opinion at crabcharlie@gmail.com
When the state notifies a “Future Voter” that they are finally actually able to vote, how does the state know that person still lives in Washington? This could be a method of registering people in other states as Washington voters.
My daughter was one of those voters and she was allowed to vote because she will be voting in the November election (turning 18 in October). As a new voter she was allowed the opportunity to vote in the primary which effects the general election. She’s a driven and informed conservative voter.
If you voted in person with a voter I.D. would not be a discussion. Because you would know they were 18 years old by their I.D. Unfortunately we need to go back to voting in person.
Great article charlie.
Another step away from transparency, there is nothing government can not do in the name of safety and/or security. We should add a word to “We the People….”, we the subjugated people….
The new voter law is splitting hairs many different ways. We need to revert to earlier law which clearly allows only 18 years and older persons to vote. Birthdates are important also. Transparency is essential for our government on all levels to operate with best practices for all.