Legislation that would help ensure that our state’s military and overseas voters can vote in our elections has cleared a key hurdle.

The Senate voted 47-1 Friday morning to pass this important elections bill requested by Secretary Reed.

Senate Bill 5171 would move Washington’s Primary Election two weeks earlier, to early August, to ensure that Washington complies with a new federal law requiring military ballots to be mailed 45 days before Election Day. ESSB 5171 also would count military and overseas ballots that are returned by fax or e-mail, as long as the signed declaration accompanies the ballot and the signature is verified.

The proposal, prime-sponsored by 44th District Sen. Steve Hobbs, now goes to the House for consideration.