H-0666.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 1661

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State of Washington      54th Legislature     1995 Regular Session

By Representatives Conway, L. Thomas, Ebersole, Goldsmith, Wolfe, D. Schmidt, Robertson, Hymes, Talcott and Scott

Read first time 02/03/95.  Referred to Committee on Government Operations.

Concerning the election of metropolitan park district commissioners.

    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:

    Before the filing period for the next park district election 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, with terms to be staggered as provided in RCW 35.61.050.  At the first park district election, 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.

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