SENATE BILL REPORT

                           SHB 2623

      AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS,

                       FEBRUARY 25, 1994

Brief Description:  Clarifying definitions regarding elections.

SPONSORS: House Committee on State Government (originally sponsored by Representative Anderson)

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass. 

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

Staff:  Rod McAulay (786‑7754)

Hearing Dates: February 25, 1994

BACKGROUND:

Short Term.  In 1976, the Legislature defined the "short term" of an office as being that brief period starting with the completion of the certification of election returns and ending with the start of the full term of office in January.  This definition applies only if the office is held by an appointee at the time of the election.  Although the title of the bill which created this definition was restricted to nonpartisan elections, this is the only definition of a "short term" provided by law.

A member of a school district's board of directors assumes office at the first scheduled meeting of the board which follows the election for the office.

Major Political Party.  Under the Election Code, a major political party is one that has at least one nominee for an office voted upon statewide who secured at least 5 percent of the vote at the last preceding state general election held in an even-numbered year. Occasionally such a partisan office is not voted upon in an even-numbered year.

SUMMARY:

A "short term" for a partisan office or a nonpartisan office exists whether a person has or has not been appointed to fill a vacancy in the office.  A "short term" does not exist for the office of school district director.

It is clarified that the election which determines whether a political party is a "major political party" under the Election Code is the last state general election conducted which included a statewide office.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  none requested

TESTIMONY FOR:  None

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  No one