Wash. Rev. Code » Title 29A · Chapter 29A.72
Revised Code of Washington

Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.72.230 (2026)

✓ current as of May 2026
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Upon the filing of an initiative or referendum petition, the secretary of state shall proceed to verify and canvass the names of the legal voters on the petition. The verification and canvass of signatures on the petition may be observed by persons representing the advocates and opponents of the proposed measure so long as they make no record of the names, addresses, or other information on the petitions or related records during the verification process except upon the order of the superior court of Thurston county. The secretary of state may limit the number of observers to not less than two on each side, if in his or her opinion, a greater number would cause undue delay or disruption of the verification process. Any such limitation shall apply equally to both sides. The secretary of state may use any statistical sampling techniques for this verification and canvass which have been adopted by rule as provided by chapter 34.05 RCW. No petition will be rejected on the basis of any statistical method employed, and no petition will be accepted on the basis of any statistical method employed if such method indicates that the petition contains fewer than the requisite number of signatures of legal voters. If the secretary of state finds the same name signed to more than one petition, he or she shall reject all but the first such valid signature. For an initiative to the legislature, the secretary of state shall transmit a certified copy of the proposed measure to the legislature at the opening of its session and, as soon as the signatures on the petition have been verified and canvassed, the secretary of state shall send to the legislature a certificate of the facts relating to the filing, verification, and canvass of the petition.
[ 2003 c 111 s 1823. Prior: 1993 c 368 s 1; 1982 c 116 s 15; 1977 ex.s. c 361 s 105; 1969 ex.s. c 107 s 1; 1965 c 9 s 29.79.200; prior: 1933 c 144 s 1; 1913 c 138 s 15; RRS s 5411. Formerly RCW 29.79.200.]

Notes:

Effective date—1993 c 368: "This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect July 1, 1993." [ 1993 c 368 s 2.]
Effective date—Severability—1977 ex.s. c 361: See notes following RCW 29A.16.040.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 13 cases (3 in the last 5 years), 2005–2024 · leading case: Doe v. Reed, 177 L. Ed. 2d 493 (2010).
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Doe v. Reed, 177 L. Ed. 2d 493 (2010). · cites it 3× “Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.72.230. Some 120,000 valid signatures were required to place the referendum on the ballot.”
Doe v. Reed, 661 F. Supp. 2d 1194 (W.D. Wash. 2009). · cites it 4× “RCW 29A.72.230. The signature on a petition sheet must be matched to the signature on file in state voter registration records.”
Doe v. Reed, 586 F.3d 671 (9th Cir. 2009). · cites it 2× “Wash. Rev.Code § 29A.72.230. The verification and canvassing “may be observed by persons representing the advocates and opponents of the proposed measure so long as they make no record of the names, addresses, or other information on the petitions or related records during the…”
Paxton v. City of Bellingham, 129 Wash. App. 439 (Wash. Ct. App. 2005). · cites it 3× “It is undisputed that a number of the signatures submitted by Paxton did not meet the six-month cutoff in RCW 35-.”
Doe v. Reed, 561 U.S. 186 (2010). · cites it 6× “Wash. Rev. Code §29A.72.230. Some 120,000 valid signatures were re quired to place the referendum on the ballot.”
City of Sequim v. Malkasian, 138 P.3d 943 (Wash. 2006). “¶ 69 If a filed measure contains sufficient verified and canvassed signatures, RCW 29A.72.230, the secretary of state must certify it to the county auditors for inclusion on the ballot.”
Doe v. Reed, 823 F. Supp. 2d 1195 (W.D. Wash. 2011). · cites it 2× “Wash.Rev.Code § 29A.72.230. Some 120,000 valid signatures were required to place the referendum on the ballot.”
Paxton v. City of Bellingham, 119 P.3d 373 (Wash. Ct. App. 2005). · cites it 3× “It is undisputed that a number of the signatures submitted by Paxton did not meet the six-month cut off in RCW 35.21.”
Defend Wash. v. Hobbs, 557 P.3d 666 (Wash. 2024). · cites it 3× “RCW 29A.72.230; WAC ch. 434-379. Using statistical sampling techniques, the secretary canvassed three percent of the signatures, verified which ones matched registered voters’ signatures in the voter rolls, and performed other work to determine sufficient individual valid…”
Wash. Conserv. Action Educ. Fund v. Hobbs (Wash. 2024). · cites it 2× “RCW 29A.72.230. Under the current rules, the secretary takes “a minimum three percent random sample of the signatures submitted” and checks those signatures against those of registered voters.”
John Doe1 v. Reed (9th Cir. 2009). · cites it 2× “Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.72.230. The verification and canvassing “may be observed by persons representing the advocates and opponents of the proposed measure so long as they make no record of the names, addresses, or other infor- mation on the petitions or related records during…”
State Of Washington v. Evergreen Freedom Found. (Wash. Ct. App. 2017). “RCW 29A.72.230. If the petition is sufficient, the secretary of state places the proposed initiative on the ballot.”
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