FINAL BILL REPORT

                                   ESSB 5156

                                  C 178 L 91

                              SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

Brief Description:  Requiring election officers to review candidates' filings to determine residency.

SPONSORS:Senate Committee on Governmental Operations (originally sponsored by Senators McCaslin, Sutherland, Roach, Matson and Madsen).

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT

BACKGROUND:

There is no requirement for local election officers to make sure that candidates for various offices reside in the jurisdictions where they wish to run.  In a recent port district election, a commissioner candidate was elected, only to find that he was not a resident and therefore could not serve.  Some method of proving the candidate's eligibility might reduce election costs.

SUMMARY:

A candidate filing for office must possess all legal qualifications required for being elected to that office.  The candidate must present official documents and an affidavit at the time of filing which show that the candidate is registered in the district for which election is sought.  The elections official reviews the necessary documents presented by the candidate.

A candidate's name will not appear on the ballot if this procedure has not been followed.  The provisions do not apply to candidates for Congress or the U.S. Senate.

The legislative authorities of all local governmental units must provide to the elections officer in a single-county district or the Secretary of State for a multi-county district the most current information describing their geographical boundaries, and the boundaries of any internal election districts, and must ensure that the information is kept current.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

Senate      48    0

House 97    0     (House amended)

Senate      44    0     (Senate concurred)

EFFECTIVE:  July 28, 1991