H-4414.1          _______________________________________________

 

                                  HOUSE BILL 2943

                  _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington              52nd Legislature             1992 Regular Session

 

By Representatives McLean, R. Fisher, Chandler, Anderson and Pruitt

 

Read first time 02/03/92.  Referred to Committee on State Government.Revising procedures for nominations by convention for political candidates.


     AN ACT Relating to nominations by convention; amending RCW 29.24.020, 29.24.060, and 29.24.070; and providing an effective date.

 

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

 

     Sec. 1.  RCW 29.24.020 and 1989 c 215 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

     Any nomination of a candidate for partisan public office by other than a major political party shall only be made either:  (1) In a convention held not earlier than the ((last Saturday in June)) first day in January of the year in which an election for the office is to be held and not later than the ((first Saturday in July)) last day for filing a declaration of candidacy under RCW 29.15.020 or during any of the ((seven)) ten days ((immediately preceding the first)) ending with the last day for filing declarations of candidacy as fixed in accordance with RCW 29.15.230 or 29.68.080; or (2) as provided by RCW 29.51.170.  A minor political party may hold more than one convention but in no case shall any such party nominate more than one candidate for any one partisan public office or position.  For the purpose of nominating candidates for the offices of president and vice-president, United States senator, or a state-wide office, a minor party or independent candidate holding multiple conventions may add together the number of signatures of different individuals from each convention obtained in support of the candidate or candidates in order to obtain the number required by RCW 29.24.030.  For all other offices for which nominations are made, signatures of the requisite number of registered voters must be obtained at a single convention.

 

     Sec. 2.  RCW 29.24.060 and 1989 c 215 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:

     Upon the receipt of the certificate of nomination, the officer with whom it is filed shall, within four business days, check the certificate and canvass the signatures on the accompanying nominating petitions to determine if the requirements of RCW 29.24.030 have been met.  Once the determination has been made, the filing officer shall notify the presiding officer of the convention and any other persons requesting the notification, of his or her decision regarding the sufficiency of the certificate or the nominating petitions.  Any appeal regarding the filing officer's determination must be filed with the superior court of the county in which the certificate or petitions were filed not later than five days from the date the determination is made, and shall be heard and finally disposed of by the court within five days of the filing.  Nominating petitions shall not be available for public inspection or copying.

 

     Sec. 3.  RCW 29.24.070 and 1990 c 59 s 103 are each amended to read as follows:

     Not later than the Friday immediately ((preceding the first)) following the last day for candidates to file, the secretary of state shall notify the county auditors of the names and designations of all minor party and independent candidates who have filed valid convention certificates and nominating petitions with that office.  Except for the offices of president and vice-president, persons nominated under this chapter shall file declarations of candidacy as provided by RCW 29.15.010 and 29.15.030.  The name of a candidate nominated at a convention shall not be printed upon the primary ballot unless he pays the fee required by law to be paid by candidates for the same office to be nominated at a primary.

 

     NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4.      This act shall take effect July 1, 1992.