BP BHEAD INT H

AN ACT Relating to elections in cities and towns; amending RCW 35.13.090, 35.13.100, 35.16.050, 35.17.260, 35.17.270, 35A.01.040, and 35A.29.170; adding a new section to chapter 35.21 RCW; and repealing RCW 35.16.020.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. RCW 35.13.090 and 1973 1st ex.s. c 164 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:

((On the Monday next succeeding the annexation election, the county canvassing board shall proceed to canvass the returns thereof and shall submit the statement of canvass to the board of county commissioners.))

(1) The proposition for or against annexation or for or against annexation and adoption of the comprehensive plan, or for or against creation of a community municipal corporation, or any combination thereof, as the case may be, shall be deemed approved if a majority of the votes cast on that proposition are cast in favor of annexation or in favor of annexation and adoption of the comprehensive plan, or for creation of the community municipal corporation, or any combination thereof, as the case may be.

(2) If a proposition for or against assumption of all or any portion of indebtedness was submitted to the electorate, it shall be deemed approved if a majority of at least three-fifths of the electors of the territory proposed to be annexed voting on such proposition vote in favor thereof, and the number of persons voting on such proposition constitutes not less than forty percent of the total number of votes cast in such territory at the last preceding general election.

(3) If either or both propositions were approved by the electors, the ((~~board shall enter a finding to that effect on its minutes, a certified copy of which~~)) county auditor shall ((~~be forthwith transmitted to and filed with~~)) on completion of the canvassing of the returns transmit to the county legislative authority and to the clerk of the city or town to which annexation is proposed a certificate of the election results, together with a certified abstract of the vote showing the whole number who voted at the election, the number of votes cast for annexation and the number cast against annexation or for annexation and adoption of the comprehensive plan and the number cast against annexation and adoption of the comprehensive plan or for creation of a community municipal corporation and the number cast against creation of a community municipal corporation, or any combination thereof, as the case may be((~~, and~~)).

(4) If a proposition for assumption of all or of any portion of indebtedness was submitted to the electorate, the abstract shall include the number of votes cast for assumption of indebtedness and the number of votes cast against assumption of indebtedness, together with a statement of the total number of votes cast in such territory at the last preceding general election.

(5) If the proposition for creation of a community municipal corporation was submitted and approved, the abstract shall include the number of votes cast for the candidates for community council positions and certificates of election shall be issued pursuant to RCW 29.27.100 to the successful candidates who shall assume office ((~~within ten days after the election~~)) as soon as qualified.

Sec. 2. RCW 35.13.100 and 1973 1st ex.s. c 164 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:

((Upon filing of the certified copy of the finding of the board of county commissioners, the clerk shall transmit it to the legislative body of the city or town at the next regular meeting or as soon thereafter as practicable.)) If a proposition relating to annexation or annexation and adoption of the comprehensive plan or creation of a community municipal corporation, or both, as the case may be was submitted to the voters and such proposition was approved, the legislative body shall adopt an ordinance providing for the annexation or adopt ordinances providing for the annexation and adoption of the comprehensive plan, or adopt an ordinance providing for the annexation and creation of a community municipal corporation, as the case may be. If a proposition for annexation or annexation and adoption of the comprehensive plan or creation of a community municipal corporation, as the case may be, and a proposition for assumption of all or of any portion of indebtedness were both submitted, and were approved, the legislative body shall adopt an ordinance providing for the annexation or annexation and adoption of the comprehensive plan or annexation and creation of a community municipal corporation including the assumption of all or of any portion of indebtedness. If the propositions were submitted and only the annexation or annexation and adoption of the comprehensive plan or annexation and creation of a community municipal corporation proposition was approved, the legislative body may, if it deems it wise or expedient, adopt an ordinance providing for the annexation or adopt ordinances providing for the annexation and adoption of the comprehensive plan, or adopt ordinances providing for the annexation and creation of a community municipal corporation, as the case may be.

Sec. 3. RCW 35.16.050 and 1994 c 273 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:

A certified copy of the ordinance defining the reduced city or town limits together with a map showing the corporate limits as altered shall be filed in accordance with RCW 29.15.026 and recorded in the office of the county auditor of the county in which the city or town is situated, upon the effective date of the ordinance. The new boundaries of the city or town shall take effect immediately after they are filed and recorded with the county auditor.

Sec. 4. RCW 35.17.260 and 1965 c 7 s 35.17.260 are each amended to read as follows:

Ordinances may be initiated by petition of electors of the city filed with the commission. If the petition accompanying the proposed ordinance is signed by the registered voters in the city equal in number to twenty-five percent of the votes cast for all candidates for mayor at the last preceding city election, and if it contains a request that, unless passed by the commission, the ordinance be submitted to a vote of the people, the commission shall either:

(1) Pass the proposed ordinance without alteration within twenty days after the ((~~city clerk's~~)) county auditor's certificate ((~~that the number of signatures on the petition are sufficient~~)) of sufficiency has been received by the commission; or

(2) Immediately after the ((~~clerk's~~)) county auditor's certificate of sufficiency ((~~is attached to~~)) for the petition is received, cause to be called a special election to be held ((~~not less than thirty nor more than sixty~~)) on the next election date, as provided in RCW 29.13.020, that occurs not less than forty-five days thereafter, for submission of the proposed ordinance without alteration, to a vote of the people unless a general election will occur within ninety days, in which event submission must be made ((~~thereat~~)) on the general election ballot.

Sec. 5. RCW 35.17.270 and 1965 c 7 s 35.17.270 are each amended to read as follows:

((Every signer to a petition submitting a proposed ordinance to the commission shall add to his signature his place of residence giving street and number. The signatures need not all be appended to one paper, but one of the signers on each paper must attach thereto an affidavit stating the number of signatures thereon, that each signature thereon is a genuine signature of the person whose name it purports to be and that the statements therein made are true as he believes.)) The petitioner preparing an initiative petition for submission to the commission shall follow the procedures established in section 6 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. A new section is added to chapter 35.21 RCW to read as follows:

Wherever in this title petitions are required to be signed and filed, the following rules shall govern the sufficiency thereof:

(1) A petition may include any page or group of pages containing an identical text or prayer intended by the circulators, signers or sponsors to be presented and considered as one petition and containing the following essential elements when applicable, except that the elements referred to in (d) and (e) of this subsection are essential for petitions referring or initiating legislative matters to the voters, but are directory as to other petitions:

(a) The text or prayer of the petition which shall be a concise statement of the action or relief sought by petitioners and shall include a reference to the applicable state statute or city ordinance, if any;

(b) If the petition initiates or refers an ordinance, a true copy thereof;

(c) If the petition seeks the annexation, incorporation, withdrawal, or reduction of an area for any purpose, an accurate legal description of the area proposed for such action and if practical, a map of the area;

(d) Numbered lines for signatures with space provided beside each signature for the name and address of the signer and the date of signing;

(e) The warning statement prescribed in subsection (2) of this section.

(2) Petitions shall be printed or typed on single sheets of white paper of good quality and each sheet of petition paper having a space thereon for signatures shall contain the text or prayer of the petition and the following warning:

WARNING

Every person who signs this petition with any other than his or her true name, or who knowingly signs more than one of these petitions, or signs a petition seeking an election when he or she is not a legal voter, or signs a petition when he or she is otherwise not qualified to sign, or who makes herein any false statement, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

Each signature shall be executed in ink or indelible pencil and shall be followed by the name and address of the signer and the date of signing.

(3) The term "signer" means any person who signs his or her own name to the petition.

(4) To be sufficient a petition must contain valid signatures of qualified registered voters or property owners, as the case may be, in the number required by the applicable statute or ordinance. Within three working days after the filing of a petition, the officer with whom the petition is filed shall transmit the petition to the county auditor for petitions signed by registered voters, or to the county assessor for petitions signed by property owners for determination of sufficiency. The officer whose duty it is to determine the sufficiency of the petition shall proceed to make such a determination with reasonable promptness and shall file with the officer receiving the petition for filing a certificate stating the date upon which such determination was begun, which date shall be referred to as the terminal date. Additional pages of one or more signatures may be added to the petition by filing the same with the appropriate filing officer prior to such terminal date. Any signer of a filed petition may withdraw his or her signature by a written request for withdrawal filed with the receiving officer prior to such terminal date. Such written request shall so sufficiently describe the petition as to make identification of the person and the petition certain. The name of any person seeking to withdraw shall be signed exactly the same as contained on the petition and, after the filing of such request for withdrawal, prior to the terminal date, the signature of any person seeking such withdrawal shall be deemed withdrawn.

(5) Petitions containing the required number of signatures shall be accepted as prima facie valid until their invalidity has been proved.

(6) A variation on petitions between the signatures on the petition and that on the voter's permanent registration caused by the substitution of initials instead of the first or middle names, or both, shall not invalidate the signature on the petition if the surname and handwriting are the same.

(7) Signatures, including the original, of any person who has signed a petition two or more times shall be stricken.

(8) Signatures followed by a date of signing which is more than six months prior to the date of filing of the petition shall be stricken.

(9) When petitions are required to be signed by the owners of property, the determination shall be made by the county assessor. Where validation of signatures to the petition is required, the following shall apply:

(a) The signature of a record owner, as determined by the records of the county auditor, shall be sufficient without the signature of his or her spouse;

(b) In the case of mortgaged property, the signature of the mortgagor shall be sufficient, without the signature of his or her spouse;

(c) In the case of property purchased on contract, the signature of the contract purchaser, as shown by the records of the county auditor, shall be deemed sufficient, without the signature of his or her spouse;

(d) Any officer of a corporation owning land within the area involved who is duly authorized to execute deeds or encumbrances on behalf of the corporation, may sign on behalf of such corporation, and shall attach to the petition a certified excerpt from the bylaws of such corporation showing such authority;

(e) When property stands in the name of a deceased person or any person for whom a guardian has been appointed, the signature of the executor, administrator, or guardian, as the case may be, shall be equivalent to the signature of the owner of the property.

(10) The officer who is responsible for determining the sufficiency of the petition shall do so in writing and transmit the written certificate to the officer with whom the petition was originally filed.

Sec. 7. RCW 35A.01.040 and 1985 c 281 s 26 are each amended to read as follows:

Wherever in this title petitions are required to be signed and filed, the following rules shall govern the sufficiency thereof:

(1) A petition may include any page or group of pages containing an identical text or prayer intended by the circulators, signers or sponsors to be presented and considered as one petition and containing the following essential elements when applicable, except that the elements referred to in ((~~subdivisions~~)) (d) and (e) ((~~hereof~~)) of this subsection are essential for petitions referring or initiating legislative matters to the voters, but are directory as to other petitions:

(b) If the petition initiates or refers an ordinance, a true copy thereof;

(d) Numbered lines for signatures with space provided beside each signature for the name and address of the signer and the date of signing ((~~and the address of the signer~~));

(e) The warning statement prescribed in subsection (2) of this section.

WARNING

Each signature shall be executed in ink or indelible pencil and shall be followed by the name and address of the signer and the date of signing ((~~and the address of the signer~~)).

(3) The term "signer" means any person who signs his or her own name to the petition.

(4) To be sufficient a petition must contain valid signatures of qualified ((~~electors~~)) registered voters or property owners, as the case may be, in the number required by the applicable statute or ordinance. Within three working days after the filing of a petition, the officer ((~~or officers~~)) with whom the petition is filed shall transmit the petition to the county auditor for petitions signed by registered voters, or to the county assessor for petitions signed by property owners for determination of sufficiency. The officer whose duty it is to determine the sufficiency of the petition shall proceed to make such a determination with reasonable promptness and shall file with the officer receiving the petition for filing a certificate stating the date upon which such determination was begun, which date shall be referred to as the terminal date. Additional pages of one or more signatures may be added to the petition by filing the same with the appropriate filing officer prior to such terminal date. Any signer of a filed petition may withdraw his or her signature by a written request for withdrawal filed with the receiving officer prior to such terminal date. Such written request shall so sufficiently describe the petition as to make identification of the person and the petition certain. The name of any person seeking to withdraw shall be signed exactly the same as contained on the petition and, after the filing of such request for withdrawal, prior to the terminal date, the signature of any person seeking such withdrawal shall be deemed withdrawn.

(5) Petitions containing the required number of signatures shall be accepted as prima facie valid until their invalidity has been proved.

(7) Signatures, including the original, of any person who has signed a petition two or more times shall be stricken.

(8) Signatures followed by a date of signing which is more than six months prior to the date of filing of the petition shall be stricken.

(a) The signature of a record owner, as determined by the records of the county auditor, shall be sufficient without the signature of his or her spouse;

(b) In the case of mortgaged property, the signature of the mortgagor shall be sufficient, without the signature of his or her spouse;

Sec. 8. RCW 35A.29.170 and 1967 ex.s. c 119 s 35A.29.170 are each amended to read as follows:

Initiative and referendum petitions authorized to be filed under provisions of this title, or authorized by charter, or authorized for code cities having the commission form of government as provided by chapter 35.17 RCW, shall be in substantial compliance with the provisions of RCW 35A.01.040 as to form and content of the petition, insofar as such provisions are applicable; shall contain a true copy of a resolution or ordinance sought to be referred to the voters; and must contain valid signatures of qualified electors of the code city in the number required by the applicable provision of this title. Except when otherwise provided by statute, referendum petitions must be filed with the clerk of the legislative body of the code city within ninety days after the passage of the resolution or ordinance sought to be referred to the voters, or within such lesser number of days as may be authorized by statute or charter in order to precede the effective date of an ordinance: PROVIDED, That nothing herein shall be construed to abrogate or affect an exemption from initiative and/or referendum provided by a code city charter. The clerk shall transmit the petition to the county auditor who shall determine the sufficiency of the petition under the rules set forth in RCW 35A.01.040. When a referendum petition is filed with the clerk, the legislative action sought to be referred to the voters shall be suspended from taking effect. Such suspension shall terminate when: (1) There is a final determination of insufficiency or untimeliness of the referendum petition; or (2) the legislative action so referred is approved by the voters at a referendum election.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. RCW 35.16.020 and 1994 c 273 s 2, 1985 c 469 s 19, & 1965 c 7 s 35.16.020 are each repealed.