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Bill

Bill

HB 1713

Concerning automatic voter registration for tribal members.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Beth Doglio and 12 co-sponsors

Automatic voter registration for federally recognized tribal members in Washington to increase Native American electoral participation and remove registration barriers.

Public hearing in the House Committee on State Government & Tribal Relations at 1:30 PM.
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Bill Summary · HB 1713

Legislative bill overview

HB 1713 would establish automatic voter registration for members of federally recognized Indian tribes in Washington State. The bill aims to streamline voter registration for tribal citizens by automatically enrolling eligible tribal members in the voter rolls, removing barriers to participation in state and local elections.

Why is this important

Tribal communities historically face lower voter registration rates due to geographic isolation, limited access to registration facilities, and systemic barriers. Automatic registration could significantly increase Native American electoral participation and representation in state and local decision-making processes that affect tribal lands and communities.

Potential points of contention

  • Data sovereignty and privacy concerns: Tribal nations may have concerns about sharing membership data with state election officials and how that information is stored and protected
  • Jurisdictional questions: Disputes over which elections tribal members should be automatically registered for (state/local only, or including tribal elections) and coordination between tribal and state election systems
  • Implementation costs and logistics: Questions about who bears costs for system development, data verification, and ongoing administration of automatic registration across multiple tribal nations
  • Voter eligibility standards: Potential disagreements over residency requirements, dual registration in multiple states, and confirmation that registrants meet all legal voting requirements

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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