SENATE BILL REPORT

                           SHB 1108

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS, MARCH 24, 1993

Brief Description:  Extending the filing period for local nonpartisan offices when no candidate or one candidate files for an office.

SPONSORS: House Committee on State Government (originally sponsored by Representatives Vance, Reams and Anderson)

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass. 

     Signed by Senators Haugen, Chairman; Drew, Vice Chairman; Loveland, Oke, Owen, and Winsley.

Staff:  Rod McAulay (786‑7754)

Hearing Dates: March 23, 1993; March 24, 1993

BACKGROUND:

For a person's name to appear on the ballot as a candidate for an elective office, the person must file a declaration of candidacy with the elections officer during a period established by law.  The regular filing period for a general election begins on the fourth Monday in July and ends on the following Friday.  A candidate may withdraw his or her candidacy by the close of business on Thursday of the next week.  If the office is a partisan elective office and, by the end of the withdrawal period, no one has filed or remains filed for the office as a candidate of a particular major political party, the political party may select and certify a candidate for the office.  The party must certify the candidacy and pay the appropriate filing fee by the close of business on the Friday following the withdrawal period.

State law requires that filing be reopened for a special three-day filing period if no one has filed for a nonpartisan office or if a void in candidacy for the office otherwise occurs.  Candidacies filed during a special filing period may not be withdrawn.  Special rules apply to the withdrawal of candidates for the office of precinct committee person.

If after a regular and a special filing period for an office of a city, town, or special purpose district, no candidate has filed for the office, the election for the office lapses and the incumbent occupying the office remains in office until a successor is eventually elected.

SUMMARY:

An extended filing period is established for filing declarations of candidacy for the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and for the nonpartisan, nonjudicial elective offices of a county, city, town, or special purpose district.  The normal filing period for these offices is extended by one week if, at the end of the regular filing period, no one or only one candidate has filed for the office.  This extension is provided in lieu of a special three-day filing period for the office.  However, the special three-day filing period is provided if all of the candidates who have filed for a nonpartisan office withdraw their candidacies.

There is no withdrawal period for candidacies filed during an extended filing period.  With this exception, the rules which apply to filings made during the regular filing period apply to filings made during the extended period.

The filing extension applies to a nonpartisan elective office of a county unless the provisions of the county's Home Rule charter provide otherwise.  The filing extension does not apply to judicial offices.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  none requested

TESTIMONY FOR:

Will allow greater participation in elections.  Enhances the democratic process without any additional cost.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  Representative Vance, prime sponsor; Karen Flynn, Auditors