Earlier this month, a Washington appeals court overturned the felony conviction of a Lewis County resident accused of voting twice in the November 2022 election — once in Washington and again in Oregon. The court’s 2–1 decision concluded that, because the two ballots contained different races and issues, they constituted separate elections under the plain language of state law. The ruling hinges on the court’s interpretation that an “election” means a distinct slate of choices, not the act of voting on a single date.

Lewis County prosecutors have announced they will ask the Washington Supreme Court to review the case.

In response, Secretary of State Steve Hobbs and legislators introduced Senate Bill 6084 to clarify what qualifies as an “election” under state law. Sponsored by Sen. Adrian Cortes (D–Battle Ground), the bill proposes adding explicit definitions to RCW 29A.84.650.

Under the bill, a person would continue to face a felony charge—punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine—for voting more than once in the same election, or voting in both Washington and another state, if the election occurs on the same date. Crucially, the bill defines “election” as any general, primary, or special election. It adds that the “same election” is defined solely by the date—regardless of ballot content or delivery method.

The bill also specifies that a special election held on the same day as a primary or general election is not considered the “same election,” allowing voters to participate in both.

Lawmakers have fast‑tracked the measure, including an emergency clause to make it effective immediately and prevent confusion ahead of upcoming elections.

Why this matters locally
For Cowlitz County and our neighboring communities, the court’s ruling exposed an unintended statutory gap in how “election” is defined—one that could be exploited by voters with multi‑state registration or ambiguous residency ties. Clarifying that an election is tied to the date—not the ballot content—restores clarity and integrity under state law.

Without legislative action, ballot envelopes sent across state lines, late-arriving ballots, or split‑ballot jurisdictions could raise future challenges. SB 6084 aims to close that pathway and reaffirm the principle that “If you live here, you vote here. You don’t get to vote anywhere else.”

Next steps
The Legislature must still pass the bill during the current session, and Governor approval remains pending. Meanwhile, Lewis County prosecutors are pushing the matter into Washington’s highest court for further adjudication.

As this situation evolves, Columbia Countercurrent will continue monitoring developments, including updates from the Washington Supreme Court and any executive action, to keep Longview, Kelso, and the broader Cowlitz County informed.

Sources

• OPB: “Stung by a court ruling, Washington looks to clarify what is an ‘election’” — details on the appeals‑court decision and legislative response.
• Washington Legislature: Full text of Senate Bill 6084 clarifying election definitions and including an emergency clause.