HB.05.02

By: Ashlyn Smith

The Senate was packed with delegates for bill #HB.05.02. The bill that would amend article VI Section 1 of the Washington State constitution and allow Washington green card holders to vote in all elections. 

Proponing the bill was Travis Mann, who read an opening statement from Rahni Singh, the bill’s author. “Where is my vote?” she said, “What renders me unworthy of democracy?” She went on to describe the hardships of immigrants in the United States. “Seven years, members of youth congress, that I’ve paid taxes, contributed to public institutions, and served my community through unpaid volunteerism.”

After the opening remarks, the attorney general gave a statement saying that this bill would violate the 26th amendment, which states that US citizens 18 years or older cannot be denied voting on account of age.

Other delegates elaborated on this. “Although it’s an agreeable idea, the way the constitution is written has the word ‘citizen’,” one delegate commented, “It’s only to existing citizens that those rights cannot be denied.”

When the proponent was asked about how this would impact the bill federally, he mentioned the Supreme Court case of Oregon v. Mitchell. The case held that the United States Congress could set voting age requirements for federal elections, but not for local or state elections.

Delegates also criticized the process to obtain citizenship. “That process is not simple, that process is not cheap, and that process is not something a lot of people in this room could pass,” they added, “How is a process that is rigged against you, that you cannot vote on, easy?” 

Another delegate interjected, “We are not saying that it is not a long process, that is not discriminatory,” they emphasized. “No one should be able to vote within 30 days of coming to our country. In one of the most powerful countries, it will be exploited.”

When the gavel striked for total debate time, the governor’s cabinet gave a statement from the governor, urging them to vote in favor of this bill. “Taxation without representation is unconstitutional. This is a bill that corrects a fundamental error of our electoral process,” Kirtley read, a member of the governor’s cabinet. The governor also reminded the senate that we cannot predict how the courts would rule had this been a real bill. To not just think about legislation, but the moral element as well.