HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 68

BYRepresentatives Rayburn, Nealey, Kremen, Bristow, Prince, P. King, Chandler, Lewis and Dellwo

Authorizing use of irrigation district business office as precinct polling place.

House Committe on Agriculture & Rural Development

Majority Report:     Do Pass.  (13)

     Signed by Representatives Rayburn, Chair; Kremen, Vice Chair; Baugher, Bristow, Brooks, Chandler, Grant, Holm, Jacobsen, McLean, Moyer, Nealey and Rasmussen.

House Staff:Kenneth Hirst (786-7105)

AS PASSED HOUSE FEBRUARY 2, 1987

BACKGROUND:

In general, the board of directors of an irrigation district must designate a place within a district election precinct as the polling place for that precinct.  However, in an irrigation district that is less than 200,000 acres in size and is divided into director divisions, the board may designate one place within the district to serve as the polling place for more than one election precinct.

SUMMARY:

State law governing irrigation district elections is altered. The board of directors of any irrigation district may designate the principal business office of the district as a polling place to serve one or more of the district's election precincts.  The business office may be so designated regardless of whether the office is located inside or outside the boundaries of the irrigation district.

Fiscal Note:    Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:     Paul Chasco, Kennewick Irrigation District and Association of Yakima River Basin Irrigation Districts.

House Committee - Testified Against: None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:     (1) Irrigation districts must now change polling place locations from year to year based upon the availability of suitable locations.  (2) Public facilities available to districts are often unheated at night during district winter elections.

House Committee - Testimony Against: None Presented.