HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                      Olympia, Washington

Bill Analysis      Bill No.  HB 1636

Changing primary dates and

associated election procedures.

Brief Title                              Hearing Date: 2/10/99

Reps. Schmidt, D. and Romero                                       Staff: Steve Lundin

Sponsor(s)                          State Government Committee

                                              Phone:  786-7127

BACKGROUND:

A primary election to nominate candidates is held at the earlier of the third Tuesday in September prior to a general election or the seventh Tuesday prior to a general election.

Declarations of candidacy for elective office are made with the filing officer during regular office hours for a five-day period beginning on the fourth Monday in July and ending on the following Friday, in the year in which the office is to be filled.  If no one declares candidacy for an office during this regular filing period, a special filing period is opened for three days.

A candidate may withdraw his or her name at any time before the close of business on the Thursday following the end of the regular filing time.

If no one has filed for the nomination of a major political party by the business end on the Thursday following the end of the regular filing period, the major political party may nominate its candidate on the next day.

A convention to nominate a person as a candidate of a minor political party for a partisan office, or for a person to file as an independent candidate for a partisan office, is held during the eight-day period from the last Saturday in June through the first Saturday in July.

SUMMARY:

1. Date of primary moved back.

The date of the primary is moved back from a date in September (the earlier of the third Tuesday in September or the seventh Tuesday preceding the general election) to the second Tuesday in August.  As a result, the number of days between the primary and general election is increased from 49 to 84 days, or an additional 35 days.

2. Period holding conventions to nominate minor party candidates and independents moved back.

The eight-day period when a convention may be held to select a nominee to a partisan office by a minor party, or as an independent candidate to a partisan office, is moved back so that the convention must be held from the third Saturday in May to the fourth Saturday in May, rather than from the last Saturday in June to the first Saturday in July.

3. Filing period moved back.

Filing periods when declarations of candidacy are filed are altered and given specific names.  The basic five-day filing period is called the regular filing period and the first day of this regular filing period is moved back from the fourth Monday in July to the second Monday in June.  As a result, the number of days between the first day of the regular filing period and the primary is increased from 57 to 64 days, or an additional seven days.

The three-day filing period that is held if no one files his or her declaration of candidacy during the regular filing period is called the special filing period.  This special three-day filing period opens on the Monday after the close of the regular filing period and closes on the following Wednesday.  If no person files a declaration of candidacy as a member of a major political party for a partisan position, the major political party may select its nominee no later than the first Friday after the close of the regular filing period.

It is clarified that another three-day filing period is opened if a void in candidacy occurs in a nonpartisan office after one or more eligible persons had filed for office during the regular or special filing period.

FISCAL NOTE:  Not requested.

EFFECTIVE DATE:  The provisions take effect on January 1, 2000.