S-3727.3          _______________________________________________

 

                            SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 6277

                  _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington              52nd Legislature             1992 Regular Session

 

By Senate Committee on Governmental Operations (originally sponsored by Senators Rasmussen, Wojahn, Madsen and Johnson)

 

Read first time 02/06/92.Modifying metropolitan park district elections.


     AN ACT Relating to metropolitan park districts; and adding a new section to chapter 35.61 RCW.

 

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

 

     NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 35.61 RCW to read as follows:

     (1)(a) A majority of the entire membership of the board of commissioners of any metropolitan park district in a county with a population of five hundred thousand or more may by resolution cause a ballot proposition to be submitted at a park district general election to the voters of the park district authorizing the park district to be divided into five electoral districts.

     (b) As an alternative procedure, a ballot proposition shall be submitted to the voters of a park district authorizing the park district to be divided into five electoral districts, upon petition of the park district voters equal to at least ten percent of the voters voting at the last park district general election.

     Any petition requesting that such an election be held shall be submitted to the county auditor for verification of the signatures thereon.  Within no more than thirty days after the submission of the petition, the auditor shall determine if the petition contains the requisite number of valid signatures.  The auditor shall certify whether or not the petition has been signed by the requisite number of park district voters and forward such petition to the board of commissioners for the park district.

     (c) If a resolution is adopted or a petition has been signed by the requisite number of park district voters, the board of commissioners for the park district shall submit the proposition to the voters of the park district for their approval or rejection at the next park district general election held at least sixty days after the resolution is adopted or the proposition is certified by the auditor.

     (2) Before the filing period for the next park district election after approval by the voters under subsection (1) of this section in a metropolitan park district in a county with a population of five hundred thousand or more, the current board of commissioners for the park district shall divide the district into five electoral districts so that each electoral district shall comprise as nearly as possible one-fifth of the population of the metropolitan park district.  The lines of the electoral districts shall be changed not more than once every five years and only by a vote of a majority of the entire membership of the board of commissioners.  The electoral districts shall be designated as districts numbered one, two, three, four, and five.  At the first park district election after an election by electoral district is called for, a primary and a general election shall be held in all five electoral districts, with the terms to be staggered as provided in RCW 35.61.050.  One commissioner shall be elected from each electoral district.

     Electoral districts shall be used as follows:  (a) Only a registered voter who resides in an electoral district may be a candidate for, or hold office as, a commissioner of the park district from that electoral district; and (b) only the voters of an electoral district may vote at a primary to nominate candidates for a commissioner of the park district from that electoral district.  Only voters of the electoral district may vote at a general election to elect a person as a commissioner of the park district from that electoral district.