AN ACT Relating to election ballot space and voter informations; amending RCW 29A.72.290, 29A.36.121, 29A.36.071, and 29A.52.220; reenacting and amending RCW 29A.36.161; adding a new section to chapter 29A.36 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

Sec. 2.  RCW 29A.72.290 and 2013 c 11 s 76 are each amended to read as follows:

The county auditor of each county shall print on the official ballots for the election at which initiative and referendum measures and measures for an advisory vote of the people are to be submitted to the people for their approval or rejection, the serial numbers and ballot titles certified by the secretary of state and the serial numbers and short descriptions of measures for an advisory vote of the people. They must appear under separate headings in the order of the serial numbers as follows:

(1) Initiatives to the people;

(2) Referendum measures;

(3) Referendum bills;

(4) Initiatives to the legislature;

(5) Initiatives to the legislature and legislative alternatives;

(6) ((Advisory votes;

(7))) Proposed constitutional amendments;

(7) Advisory votes.

Sec. 3.  RCW 29A.36.161 and 2013 c 283 s 3 and 2013 c 11 s 44 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

(1) On the top of each ballot must be printed:

(((a))) Clear and concise instructions directing the voter how to mark the ballot, including write-in votes((; and

(b) The following statement: "For a list of the people and organizations that donated to state and local candidates and ballot measure campaigns, visit www.pdc.wa.gov." The secretary of state may substitute such language as is necessary for accuracy and clarity and consistent with the intent of this section. Alternately, at the discretion of the county auditor or local election official, the statement required by this subsection (1)(b) may be printed in a prominent position on the ballot envelope and in the materials that accompany the ballot)).

(2) The ballot must have a clear delineation between the ballot instructions and the first ballot measure or office through the use of white space, illustration, shading, color, symbol, font size, or bold type. The secretary of state shall establish standards for ballot design and layout consistent with this section and RCW 29A.04.611.

(3) The questions of adopting constitutional amendments or any other state measure authorized by law to be submitted to the voters at that election must appear after the instructions and before any offices.

(4) In a year that president and vice president appear on the general election ballot, the names of candidates for president and vice president for each political party must be grouped together with a single response position for a voter to indicate his or her choice.

The major political party that received the highest number of votes from the electors of this state for the office of president of the United States at the last presidential election must appear first. Other major political parties must follow according to the votes cast for their nominees for president at the last presidential election. Independent candidates and minor parties must follow major parties and be listed in the order of their qualification with the secretary of state.

Sec. 4.  RCW 29A.36.121 and 2013 c 11 s 42 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The positions or offices on a primary consolidated ballot shall be arranged in substantially the following order: United States senator; United States representative; governor; lieutenant governor; secretary of state; state treasurer; state auditor; attorney general; commissioner of public lands; insurance commissioner; superintendent of public instruction; ((insurance commissioner;)) state senator; state representative; county officers; justices of the supreme court; judges of the court of appeals; judges of the superior court; and judges of the district court. For all other jurisdictions on the primary ballot, the offices in each jurisdiction shall be grouped together and be in the order of the position numbers assigned to those offices, if any.

(2) The order of the positions or offices on a general election ballot shall be substantially the same as on a primary ballot except that state ballot issues must be placed before all offices. The offices of president and vice president of the United States shall precede all other offices on a presidential election ballot. The positions on a ballot to be assigned to ballot measures regarding local units of government shall be established by the secretary of state by rule.

Sec. 5.  RCW 29A.36.071 and 2017 c 328 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Except as provided to the contrary in RCW 82.14.036, 82.46.021, or 82.80.090, the ballot title of any referendum filed on an enactment or portion of an enactment of a local government and any other question submitted to the voters of a local government consists of three elements: (a) An identification of the enacting legislative body and a statement of the subject matter; (b) a concise description of the measure; and (c) a question. The ballot title must conform with the requirements and be displayed substantially as provided under RCW 29A.72.050, except that the concise description must not exceed ((seventy-five)) thirty words((; however,)). This includes a concise description submitted on behalf of a proposed or existing regional transportation investment district or a proposed fire protection district, as provided in RCW 52.02.160((, may exceed seventy-five words)). If the local governmental unit is a city or a town, or if the ballot title is for a referendum under RCW 35.13A.115, the concise statement must be prepared by the city or town attorney. If the local governmental unit is a county, the concise statement must be prepared by the prosecuting attorney of the county. If the unit is a unit of local government other than a city, town, or county, the concise statement must be prepared by the prosecuting attorney of the county within which the majority area of the unit is located.

(2) A referendum measure on the enactment of a unit of local government must be advertised in the manner provided for nominees for elective office.

(3) Subsection (1) of this section does not apply if another provision of law specifies the ballot title for a specific type of ballot question or proposition.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6.  A new section is added to chapter 29A.36 RCW to read as follows:

The following statement shall be displayed in a prominent position on the election page of each county web site, and printed in at least one of the following: The ballot envelope, the materials that accompany the ballot, or the voter pamphlet, if published: "For a list of the people and organizations that donated to state and local candidates and ballot measure campaigns, visit www.pdc.wa.gov." The secretary of state may substitute the language as necessary for accuracy and clarity and consistent with the intent of this section.

Sec. 7.  RCW 29A.52.220 and 2013 c 195 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) No primary may be held for any single position in any nonpartisan office if, after the last day allowed for candidates to withdraw, there are no more than two candidates filed for the position. The county auditor shall as soon as possible notify all the candidates so affected that the office for which they filed will not appear on the primary ballot.

(2) No primary may be held for the office of commissioner of a park and recreation district, metropolitan park district, or for the office of cemetery district commissioner.

(3) Names of candidates for offices that do not appear on the primary ballot shall be printed upon the general election ballot in the manner specified by RCW 29A.36.131.

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