Changes to the law in 2018 created two new avenues to complaint resolution for certain less serious reporting errors.

Remediable violations

RCW 42.17A.005(46) defines "remediable violation" as any violation of RCW 42.17A that:
  1. Involved expenditures totaling no more than the contribution limits set out under RCW 42.17A.405(2) per election, or $1,500* if there is no statutory limit.
  2. Occurred more than 30 days before an election.
  3. Did not materially affect the public interest, beyond the harm to the policy of RCW 42.17A inherent in any violation.
  4. Involved a candidate, political committee or other person filing with the PDC who: (1) took corrective action within five business days after being notified by commission staff of the alleged noncompliance; or (2) where commission staff did not notify the respondent and the respondent filed an amended or corrected required report within 21 days after the report was due to be filed. The candidate, political committee or other person filing substantially met the filing deadline(s) for all other required PDC reports within the last 12 months.
  5. Involved a candidate who lost the election and did not receive contributions of more than one hundred times the contribution limits for that office being sought (i.e. most candidates are subject to contribution limits of $1,200 per election, so contributions of less than $120,000 would be eligible).

If the allegations in the complaint are determined by PDC staff to be remediable, and the respondent has complied with all the elements listed above, the PDC's executive director will resolve the matter and close the complaint.

Technical corrections

RCW 42.17A.005(51) defines "technical correction" as the correction of a minor or ministerial error on a required PDC report that did not materially impact the public interest, but did require correction to be in full compliance with the reporting requirements of RCW 42.17A.
 
If the alleged violations in the complaint are determined by PDC staff to require only technical corrections, and the respondent has made the requested corrections, the PDC executive director will close the complaint.
 
*As of April 1, 2023, this value was adjusted for inflation from $1,000 to $1,500.