H-1853.1 _______________________________________________
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 4226
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State of Washington 52nd Legislature 1991 Regular Session
By Representatives Appelwick, Winsley, Vance, D. Sommers and Broback.
Read first time February 21, 1991. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
BE IT RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, IN LEGISLATIVE SESSION ASSEMBLED:
THAT, At the next general election to be held in this state there shall be submitted to the qualified voters of the state for their approval and ratification, or rejection, an amendment to Article IV, section 3 of the Constitution of the state of Washington to read as follows:
Article
IV, section 3. (1) The judges of the supreme court shall be elected
by the qualified electors of the state at large at the general state election
at the times and places at which state officers are elected, unless some other
time be provided by the legislature. The first election of judges of the
supreme court shall be at the election which shall be held upon the adoption of
this Constitution and the judges elected thereat shall be classified by lot, so
that two shall hold their office for the term of three years, two for the term
of five years, and one for the term of seven years. The lot shall be drawn by
the judges who shall for that purpose assemble at the seat of government, and
they shall cause the result thereof to be certified to the secretary of state,
and filed in his or her office. ((The judge having the shortest term
to serve not holding his office by appointment or election to fill a vacancy,
shall be the chief justice, and shall preside at all sessions of the supreme
court, and in case there shall be two judges having in like manner the same
short term, the other judges of the supreme court shall determine which of them
shall be chief justice. In case of the absence of the chief justice, the judge
having in like manner the shortest or next shortest term to serve shall
preside.)) After the first election the terms of judges elected shall be
six years from and after the second Monday in January next succeeding their
election. If a vacancy occur in the office of a judge of the supreme court the
governor shall appoint a person to hold the office until the election and
qualification of a judge to fill the vacancy, which election shall take place
at the next succeeding general election, and the judge so elected shall hold
the office for the remainder of the unexpired term. The term of office of the
judges of the supreme court, first elected, shall commence as soon as the state
shall have been admitted into the Union, and continue for the term herein
provided, and until their successors are elected and qualified. The sessions
of the supreme court shall be held at the seat of government until otherwise
provided by law.
(2) The judges shall by majority vote select from among themselves a chief justice who shall serve a four-year term. By majority vote, the judges shall fill any vacancy in an unexpired term in the office of chief justice.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the secretary of state shall cause notice of the foregoing constitutional amendment to be published at least four times during the four weeks next preceding the election in every legal newspaper in the state.