VETO MESSAGE ON HB 1013

                        May 21, 1991

To the Honorable, the House

  of Representatives of the

  State of Washington

Ladies and Gentlemen:

      I am returning herewith, without my approval as to section 1, House Bill No. 1013 entitled:

"AN ACT Relating to cities and towns."

      Current law states that where a vote on incorporation is held, if the vote in favor of incorporation is forty percent or less of the total vote, another election on the same issue cannot be held for three years.  Section 1 of this bill seeks to change the forty percent requirement to thirty percent and to make this change applicable to elections held before the effective date of this Act.

      Making the change retroactive shifts the rules on the electorate after the game.  Voters have a right to vote for a governing structure according to laws existing at the time of the election.  Retroactively redefining the rules in this manner will only serve to frustrate the electorate and undermine our democratic process.  For this reason, I have vetoed section 1.

      With the exception of section 1, House Bill No. 1013 is approved.

                        Respectfully submitted,

                        Booth Gardner

                        Governor