S-2357               _______________________________________________

                                         SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL NO. 5961

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1987 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Governmental Operations (originally sponsored by Senator Halsan)

Read first time 3/6/87.

AN ACT Relating to a nonbinding presidential primary with single-party ballots; and creating a new chapter in Title 29 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     On the fourth Tuesday of March in each year in which a president of the United States is to be nominated and elected, a nonbinding presidential preference primary shall be held at which voters may express their choice among major political party candidates for nomination to the office of president of the United States.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     (1) The name of a candidate for a major political party nomination to the office of president of the United States shall be printed on that party's ballot only if that person has, not earlier than the third Monday in December of the previous year nor later than the next succeeding Friday, filed a declaration of candidacy in a form substantially similar to that specified by RCW 29.18.030.  A filing fee of ten thousand dollars shall accompany this declaration of candidacy.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     (1) Not less than forty-two days before the nonbinding presidential preference primary, the secretary of state shall certify to each county auditor the names of all of the candidates that are to appear on the ballots of each major political party at that primary.

          (2) Where this chapter does not specifically indicate otherwise, the nonbinding presidential preference primary shall be conducted and canvassed in the manner provided by state law for the conduct and canvassing of primaries for partisan state offices.

          (3) The secretary of state may adopt rules necessary to facilitate the operation, accomplishment, and purposes of this chapter.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.     At a nonbinding presidential preference primary, each registered voter may request a ballot for a major political party, and vote for only one candidate on that ballot for nomination to the office of president of the United States.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.     Whenever a nonbinding presidential preference primary is held under this chapter, the state of Washington shall reimburse each county for the cost of conducting the primary in the same manner as that required under RCW 29.13.047.  The secretary of state shall include in his or her biennial budget a request for sufficient funds to carry out the provisions of this chapter.  Payments under this section shall be from appropriations specifically provided for such purpose by law.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6.     Sections 1 through 5 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 29 RCW.