SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 5163

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

             Government Operations, March 1, 1995

Title:  An act relating to candidates filing for election.

Brief Description:  Revising election filing dates and procedures.

Sponsors:  Senators Winsley, Haugen and Spanel.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Government Operations:  2/2/95, 3/1/95 [DPS]

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5163 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

  Signed by Senators Haugen, Chair; Sheldon, Vice Chair; Drew, Hale, Heavey, McCaslin and Winsley.

Staff:  Rod McAulay (786-7754)

Background:  Except for precinct committee officers, the regular filing period for candidates for public elective office is the five-day period extending from the fourth Monday of July through the following Friday.  Persons who have filed for office during this time may withdraw their declaration of candidacy at any time before the close of business on the Thursday following the last day for filing.  The regular filing period for precinct committee officers begins on the fourth Monday of July and closes on the second Friday following.

If, following the last day to withdraw a candidacy, there is no candidate for a major political party for a partisan office, the county party central committee, for positions entirely within the county, or the state party central committee, for all other positions, may select and certify a candidate for the position no later than the first Friday following the last day to withdraw.

If no valid declaration of candidacy has been filed for a nonpartisan office during the filing period, the election officer must fix and give notice of an additional three-day filing period for that position.

Summary of Substitute Bill: The regular filing period for candidates for public office begins on the second Monday of July and ends at the close of business on the following Friday.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The original bill not only moves the filing period two weeks earlier as the substitute bill does, but makes several other changes.  The original bill extends the filing period to two weeks and repeals the withdrawal period which extended to the Thursday following the close of the regular filing period.  The original bill repeals the authority of political parties to file candidates for partisan positions one week after the regular filing period when after the regular filing and withdrawal period, there is no candidate for that party.  The original bill repeals the provisions requiring that the auditor conduct a special three-day filing period for nonpartisan positions for which no candidates filed during the regular filing period.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  More time is allowed to prepare ballots and voters' pamphlets. 

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Karen Flynn, Kitsap County Auditor; Bob Terwilliger, Snohomish County Auditor; Sam Reed, Thurston County Auditor.