Section 434-250-350 - Student engagement hubsPursuant to RCW 29A.40.180, the county auditor and any educational institution within the county that are statutorily required to host a hub must enter a contract to operate a student engagement hub.
(1) For all institutions operating student engagement hubs, the contract must include: (a) A method for voters to download and print the voter's ballot for the exact precinct and precinct split from the voter's county of registration from an online portal;(b) Provisions for protecting the privacy and secrecy of any voted ballot;(c) Provision of instruction for voters on how to return a ballot;(d) Provision of services to those in line at 8:00 p.m. on election day to obtain a ballot, vote, and deposit their voted ballot;(e) Provision of a secured ballot drop box at the hub, following current ballot drop box procedures for emptying the contents and closing the box at the conclusion of hub operations;(f) Ensuring that when a voter is in line at the hub at 8:00 p.m. or earlier on election day, their ballot may be deposited in the drop box after 8:00 p.m., but no other voters can use the drop box after 8:00 p.m.(g) Ensuring operation of the hub in a nonpartisan manner while allowing no campaign materials or campaigning within a minimum of at least 25 feet of the entrances and exits of the hub facility, or within the hub;(h) Provision of accessible facilities compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.(2) For institutions operating student engagement hubs that are statutorily required to include voter registration services, the contract must also include: (a) An agreed upon method of voter registration services for all eligible citizens at the hub;(b) Setting the hours of operation as the county auditor's normal working hours and, on Election Day, starting at normal business opening and extended until 8:00 p.m.;(c) An agreement detailing the days that the hub will be in operation up to the statutory maximum of eight days prior to the election;(d) Provision to the hub of at least the following services by agreement between the county auditor and the university or college:(ii) Availability of provisional ballots;(iii) Provision of notice of the availability of services;(iv) Provision of appropriate voter information including voter pamphlets; and(v) Provision of services to those in line at 8:00 p.m. on election day to register to vote, obtain a ballot, vote, and deposit their voted ballot.(3) The prohibitions listed in chapter 29A.84 RCW for voting centers and ballot drop boxes also apply to student engagement hubs.(4) Hub staff may provide postage stamps for voters that choose to mail their ballot.Wash. Admin. Code § 434-250-350
Adopted by WSR 20-19-045, Filed 9/10/2020, effective 10/11/2020Amended by WSR 23-15-018, Filed 7/7/2023, effective 8/7/2023