OLYMPIA – The Washington Supreme Court issued its ruling today in Vet Voice v. Hobbs, unanimously affirming the constitutionality of the state’s signature verification process for vote-by-mail ballots. In a majority opinion, the court ruled in favor of the defendants, upholding the longstanding process that ensures the integrity of Washington’s vote-by-mail system.
The plaintiffs challenged the signature matching procedure outlined in RCW 29A.40.110(3), arguing that election officials should only use it to confirm whether a ballot return envelope has been signed. However, the court’s decision reinforces the validity of the procedure as a critical safeguard for election security while balancing accessibility for voters.
“We are pleased with the court’s ruling, which affirms our commitment to secure, accessible, and transparent elections in Washington,” Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said. “Signature verification has been a fundamental part of our state’s vote-by-mail system for decades, helping to protect against fraud while ensuring that every eligible voter’s ballot is counted.”
The decision allows counties to continue using signature matching for verifying ballots, while also maintaining processes for voters to correct signature issues to ensure their ballots are counted.
For more information on Washington’s signature verification process and voter resources, visit sos.wa.gov/elections.