H-0727.1                  _______________________________________________

                                                      HOUSE BILL 1367

                              _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              53rd Legislature                             1993 Regular Session

By Representatives Jones, Reams and Kessler

Read first time 01/25/93.  Referred to Committee on State Government.

Providing for mandatory election recounts.

          AN ACT Relating to mandatory election recounts; and amending RCW 29.64.015.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

        Sec. 1.  RCW 29.64.015 and 1991 c 90 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

          (1) If the official canvass of all of the returns for any office at any primary or election reveals that the difference in the number of votes cast for a candidate apparently nominated or elected to any office and the number of votes cast for the closest apparently defeated opponent is not more than one-half of one percent of the total number of votes cast for both candidates, the county canvassing board shall conduct a recount of all votes cast on that position.

          (a) Whenever such a difference occurs in the number of votes cast for candidates for a position which appears on the ballot in more than one county, the secretary of state shall, within three business days of the day that the returns of the primary or election are first certified by the canvassing boards of those counties, direct those boards to recount all votes cast on the position.

          (b) ((Whenever)) If the total number of votes cast for the office is sixty thousand or more and the difference in the number of votes cast for ((such candidates is)) the candidate apparently nominated or elected and the number cast for the closest apparently defeated opponent is small enough to require a recount under this section, the votes shall be recounted manually if that difference is also less than one hundred fifty votes.

If the total number of votes cast for the office is less than sixty thousand and the difference in the number of votes cast for a candidate apparently nominated or elected and the number of votes cast for the closest apparently defeated opponent is small enough to require a recount under this section, the votes shall be recounted  manually if that difference is also:  Less than ten votes or less than one-fourth of one percent of the total number of votes cast for both candidates, ((the votes shall be recounted manually)) whichever difference constitutes a larger number of votes.

          (2) A mandatory recount shall be conducted in the manner provided by RCW 29.64.020, 29.64.030, and 29.64.040.  No cost of a mandatory recount may be charged to any candidate.

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