Washington governor signs package of voter access bills

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - Gov. Jay Inslee has signed a package of bills aimed at increasing voter access in Washington state, including a measure to pre-register 16 and 17 year olds and another that allows in-person voter registration to occur the same day of an election.

Under one of the measures signed Monday, starting on July 1, 2019, people can pre-register to vote starting at age 16, though they won't be added to the list of registered voters until the next election at which they'll be 18.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, Washington will join 12 states and the District of Columbia in allowing preregistration beginning at age 16. Four other states allow preregistration beginning at age 17, and additional five states have varying rules for when a person may preregister when they near age 18.