The voters' pamphlet published or distributed under RCW
29A.32.010 must contain:
(1) Information about each ballot measure initiated by or referred to the voters for their approval or rejection as required by RCW
29A.32.070;
(2) In even-numbered years, statements, if submitted, from candidates for the office of president and vice president of the United States, United States senator, United States representative, governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, state auditor, attorney general, commissioner of public lands, superintendent of public instruction, insurance commissioner, state senator, state representative, justice of the supreme court, judge of the court of appeals, or judge of the superior court. Candidates may also submit campaign contact information and a photograph not more than five years old in a format that the secretary of state determines to be suitable for reproduction in the voters' pamphlet;
(3) In odd-numbered years, if any office voted upon statewide appears on the ballot due to a vacancy, then statements and photographs for candidates for any vacant office listed in subsection (2) of this section must appear;
(4) Contact information for the public disclosure commission established under RCW
42.17A.100, including the following statement: "For a list of the people and organizations that donated to state and local candidates and ballot measure campaigns, visit www.pdc.wa.gov." The statement must be placed in a prominent position, such as on the cover or on the first two pages of the voters' pamphlet. The secretary of state may substitute such language as is necessary for accuracy and clarity and consistent with the intent of this section;
(5) Contact information for major political parties;
(6) A brief statement explaining the deletion and addition of language for proposed measures under RCW
29A.32.080;
(7) A list of all student engagement hubs as designated under RCW
29A.40.180;
(8) A page providing information about how to access the internet presentation of the information created in RCW
44.48.160 about the state budgets, including a uniform resource locator, a quick response code, and a phone number for the legislative information center. The uniform resource locator and quick response codes will lead the voter to the internet information required in RCW
44.48.160; and
(9) Any additional information pertaining to elections as may be required by law or in the judgment of the secretary of state is deemed informative to the voters.
Findings—Intent—2013 c 283: "(1) The legislature finds that the voters of the state of Washington have overwhelmingly affirmed the public's right to know about the financing of political activity. Recognizing that Initiative 276, which created the public disclosure commission and serves as the foundation of Washington's disclosure and campaign finance laws, was approved with over seventy-two percent of voters in support, the legislature also finds that maintaining the tradition of transparency in campaigns and political activities in the state of Washington is a top priority for citizens throughout Washington state.
(2) Therefore, it is the intent of the legislature to increase transparency and ensure that voters be provided easy access to accurate information about the sources of money supporting or opposing candidates and ballot measures by printing the public disclosure commission's website on voters' pamphlets and ballots for each primary and general election." [
2013 c 283 § 1.]
