Senate OKs 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 on a 30-17 vote. It overwhelmingly passed the House last month, and now heads to Gov. Chris Gregoire.

“This bill acknowledges that technology and times have changed,” said Sen. Eric Oemig, D-Kirkland.

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.

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