During Senate floor debate on House Bill 1710, Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Auburn, spoke in opposition to expanding the Washington Voting Rights Act, warning the proposal could create costly bureaucracy and encourage litigation against local election officials.

Fortunato argued the bill could force county auditors to seek approval from the Attorney General’s Office for routine election administration decisions, such as moving ballot drop boxes, adjusting voting locations, or making procedural changes in how elections are conducted.

As a member of the Washington State Election Advisory Board, Fortunato said county auditors regularly work with the Secretary of State to review election procedures and ensure secure, transparent elections across Washington’s 39 counties. Requiring additional approvals from the Attorney General, he said, would create unnecessary red tape and could open the door to a surge of lawsuits.

Fortunato also raised concerns about the potential cost to taxpayers, noting that enforcing the policy could require significant legal resources from the Attorney General’s Office.

“This is not protecting democracy,” Fortunato said. “It’s creating bureaucracy and encouraging litigation.”