S-0318.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 5238

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      54th Legislature     1995 Regular Session

By Senators Oke and Haugen

Read first time 01/16/95.  Referred to Committee on Government Operations.

Eliminating the primary in park and recreation district elections.

    AN ACT Relating to park and recreation district elections; and amending RCW 29.21.015 and 36.69.090.

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

    Sec. 1.  RCW 29.21.015 and 1990 c 59 s 90 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) No primary may be held for any single position in any city, town, or district, as required by RCW 29.21.010, if, after the last day allowed for candidates to withdraw, there are no more than two candidates filed for the position.  The county auditor shall, as soon as possible, notify all the candidates so affected that the office for which they filed will not appear on the primary ballot.

(2) No primary may be held for the office of commissioner of a park and recreation district.

(3) Names of candidates ((so notified)) for offices that do not appear on the primary ballot shall be printed upon the general election ballot in the manner specified by RCW 29.30.025.

    Sec. 2.  RCW 36.69.090 and 1994 c 223 s 45 are each amended to read as follows:

    A park and recreation district shall be governed by a board of five commissioners.  Except for the initial commissioners, all commissioners shall be elected to staggered four-year terms of office and shall serve until their successors are elected and qualified and assume office in accordance with RCW 29.04.170.  Candidates shall run for specific commissioner positions.

    Elections for park and recreation district commissioners shall be held biennially in conjunction with the general election in each odd-numbered year.  Elections shall be held in accordance with the provisions of Title 29 RCW dealing with general elections, except that there shall be no primary to nominate candidates.  All persons filing and qualifying shall appear on the general election ballot and the person receiving the largest number of votes for each position shall be elected.

                            --- END ---