S-2067

AN ACT Relating to elections; amending RCW 29.62.020; and creating new sections.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A task force to study and make recommendations regarding the date for primary elections as provided in this act is established.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The legislature finds that:

(1) The current statute relating to the timing of the primary election may not allow adequate time for absentee voters, especially military personnel living overseas, to review the candidates and issues appearing on the general election ballot before casting their votes;

(2) The proliferation of permanent absentee voters presents increasing difficulties for county auditors to canvass ballots in a timely way, which in turn may adversely affect the general election campaign of a candidate involved in a close primary race; and

(3) A delay in counting votes and processing ballots negatively impacts the public's right to timely election results and thus harms our electoral process.

Therefore, the mission of the task force includes, but is not limited to, a review of issues relating to the timing of the primary election, the canvassing of ballots, and the certification of election results. The task force shall consider alternates to the current statutes that relate to these issues, and shall provide recommendations accordingly.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The task force membership consists of the following thirteen members:

(1) Five citizen members from across the state, appointed jointly by the secretary of state, the president of the senate, and the co-speakers of the house of representatives;

(2) Two members of the senate, one from each of the largest two caucuses, appointed by the president of the senate, and two members of the house of representatives, one from each of the largest two caucuses, appointed by the co-speakers of the house of representatives;

(3) The secretary of state or the secretary's designee;

(4) A county elections official designated by the Association of County Officials; and

(5) A representative of each major political party in the state, appointed by the chair of the state central committee for the party.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The task force shall report its recommendations to the governor, the secretary of state, and the appropriate standing committees of the senate and house of representatives no later than December 1, 1999. The task force terminates on December 31, 1999.

Sec. 5. RCW 29.62.020 and 1995 c 139 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) ((No later than the tenth day after a special election or primary and no later than the fifteenth day after a general election, the county auditor shall convene the county canvassing board to process the absentee ballots and canvass the votes cast at that primary or election.)) At least every third day after a special election, primary, or general election and before certification of the election results, excepting Sundays and legal holidays, the county auditor shall convene the county canvassing board to process absentee ballots and canvass the votes cast at that special election, primary, or general election. Each absentee ballot previously not canvassed that was received by the county auditor on or before the day before the convening of the canvass board and that either was returned before the closing of the polls on the date of the special election, primary, or general election for which it was issued, or bears a date of mailing on or before the date of the special election, primary, or general election for which it was issued, must be processed at that time. The tabulation of votes that results from that day's canvass must be made available to the general public immediately upon completion of the canvass.

(2) On the tenth day after a special election or a primary and on the fifteenth day after a general election, the canvassing board shall complete the canvass and certify the results. Each absentee ballot that was returned before the closing of the polls on the date of the primary or election for which it was issued, and each absentee ballot with a date of mailing on or before the date of the primary or election for which it was issued and received on or before the date on which the primary or election is certified, shall be included in the canvass report.

((~~(2)~~)) (3) At the request of any caucus of the state legislature, the county auditor shall transmit copies of all unofficial returns of state and legislative primaries or elections prepared by or for the county canvassing board to either the secretary of the senate or the chief clerk of the house.