Both houses OK online voter registration

OLYMPIA — Washington would become the second state in the country to allow online voter registration under a measure passed by the Legislature on Monday.

The measure passed the Senate 30-17. It overwhelmingly passed the House last month and now heads to Gov. Christine Gregoire.

"This bill acknowledges that technology and times have changed," said Sen. Eric Oemig, D-Kirkland. "We do many things on the Internet today."

The measure is based on Arizona's Internet registration system, EZ Voter, which allows Arizonans to register online at a secure site maintained by ServiceArizona, the same company that runs the state's online automobile registrations.

The applications are sent daily in electronic form to county elections offices.

Only people with a Washington state driver's license or state ID would be able to register as voters online. They would have to provide their first and last names, dates of birth, addresses and driver's-license or state-identification numbers.

The new statewide voter-registration database that has been online since last year is connected to the state Department of Licensing, which has people's signatures and photos on file. Voters would be able to fill out an application on the secretary of state's Web site.

People of voting age who apply for driver's licenses in Washington are offered the chance to register to vote under the federal motor-voter law, but that process doesn't work with people who get their licenses while too young to vote.

"I think that it's going to be particularly helpful for connecting with young people," said Secretary of State Sam Reed, who noted that the state already faces challenges in getting younger people to register to vote.

Shield law passes

The Senate also passed a measure that would keep journalists who refuse to reveal confidential sources out of jail. The measure, which passed on a 41-6 vote, would grant reporters absolute privilege for protecting confidential sources — the same exemption from testifying in court that is granted to spouses, attorneys, clergy and police officers.

Currently, Washington has no shield law, but its courts have ruled in favor of qualified privilege based on the First Amendment and on common law.

The proposed law would provide a more limited privilege on materials such as unpublished notes and tapes. Under its provisions, the media could be forced to disclose that information under certain circumstances, including when a judge finds it is necessary in a criminal or civil case and the material cannot be obtained elsewhere.

The measure, which has been passed by both the House and the Senate, now must go back to the House for concurrence.