Z-0941.1 _______________________________________________
SENATE BILL 5911
_______________________________________________
State of Washington 54th Legislature 1995 Regular Session
By Senators Drew and C. Anderson; by request of Secretary of State
Read first time 02/14/95. Referred to Committee on Government Operations.
AN ACT Relating to elections; amending RCW 29.15.020, 29.80.010, 29.80.020, 29.80.030, 29.80.040, and 29.80.080; adding a new section to chapter 29.80 RCW; and repealing RCW 29.80.050 and 29.80.060.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. RCW 29.15.020 and 1990 c 59 s 81 are each amended to read as follows:
Except where otherwise
provided by this title, declarations of candidacy for the following offices
shall be filed during regular business hours with the filing officer no earlier
than the ((fourth)) first Monday in ((July)) June
and no later than the following Friday in the year in which the office is
scheduled to be voted upon:
(1) Offices that are scheduled to be voted upon for full terms or both full terms and short terms at, or in conjunction with, a state general election; and
(2) Offices where a vacancy, other than a short term, exists that has not been filled by election and for which an election to fill the vacancy is required in conjunction with the next state general election.
This section supersedes all other statutes that provide for a different filing period for these offices.
Sec. 2. RCW 29.80.010 and 1987 c 295 s 17 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) As soon as
possible before each state primary and state general election ((at
which federal or state officials are to be elected)) in an even-numbered
year, the secretary of state shall publish and mail to each individual
place of residence of the state a ((candidates')) pamphlet containing
photographs and campaign statements of eligible candidates or nominees
who ((desire to participate therein)) submit a statement, or a statement
and a photograph, together with a campaign mailing address and telephone
number submitted by the candidate or nominee ((at the nominee's
option, and)).
(2) In
even-numbered years ((containing)) the state general election
pamphlet must include a description of the office of precinct committee
officer and its duties((, in order that voters will understand that the
office is a state office and will be found on the ballot of the forthcoming
general election)).
(3) In
odd-numbered years ((no candidates')) the secretary of state shall
publish a candidates pamphlet ((may be published unless)) for the
state primary and state general election only if an election is to be held
to fill a vacancy in one or more of the following ((state-wide elective))
offices: United States senator, governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of
state, state treasurer, state auditor, attorney general, superintendent of
public instruction, commissioner of public lands, insurance commissioner, or
justice of the supreme court.
Sec. 3. RCW 29.80.020 and 1984 c 54 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) At a time or
times to be determined by the secretary of state, ((but in any event not
later than forty-five days before the applicable state general election,))
each candidate or nominee for the office of president and
vice-president, United States senator, United States representative,
governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, state
auditor, attorney general, superintendent of public instruction, commissioner
of public lands, insurance commissioner, state senator, state representative,
justice of the supreme court, judge of the court of appeals, or judge of the
superior court may file with the secretary of state a written statement
advocating his or her candidacy accompanied by the campaign mailing address and
telephone number submitted by the candidate or nominee ((at the
nominee's option)), and a photograph not more than five years old and of a
size and quality that the secretary of state determines to be suitable for
reproduction in the ((voters')) pamphlet.
(2) The maximum
number of words for the statements shall be determined according to the offices
sought as follows: State representative, one hundred words; state senator,
judge of the superior court, judge of the court of appeals, justice of the
supreme court, and all state offices voted upon throughout the state, except
that of governor, two hundred words; president and vice-president,
United States senator, United States representative, and governor, three
hundred words. ((No such statement or photograph may be printed in the
candidates' pamphlet for any person who is the sole nominee for any nonpartisan
or judicial office.))
Sec. 4. RCW 29.80.030 and 1979 ex.s. c 57 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) The secretary of
state shall reject any statement offered for filing, ((which, in his)) that,
in the secretary's opinion, contains any obscene, profane, libelous or
defamatory matter, or any language or matter, the circulation of which through
the mails is prohibited by congress. ((Nor shall any)) No candidate
or nominee may submit a photograph showing the uniform or insignia
of any organization ((which)) that advocates or teaches racial or
religious intolerance.
(2) Within five days
after ((such)) the rejection of a statement under this
section, the person((s)) submitting ((such)) the
statement for filing may appeal to ((a board of review, consisting of the superintendent
of public instruction, attorney general and the lieutenant governor. The
decision of such board shall be final upon the acceptance or rejection of the
matter thus in controversy)) the secretary of state. The office of
administrative hearings shall adjudicate the appeal under RCW 34.05.413 through
34.05.476.
Sec. 5. RCW 29.80.040 and 1984 c 54 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
The candidates' or
nominees' statements, photographs, and the addresses and telephone numbers
submitted by them ((as set forth in RCW 29.80.010 and 29.80.020)) shall
be published by the secretary of state as a ((candidates')) pamphlet,
the printing of which shall be completed as soon as possible before the state primary
or state general election ((concerned)). The overall dimensions of
the pamphlet shall be determined by the secretary of state as those which in
the secretary's judgment best serve the voters, and whenever possible before
the applicable state general election, the candidates' ((pamphlet)) statement
and photograph shall be combined with the voters' pamphlet as a single
publication.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. A new section is added to chapter 29.80 RCW to read as follows:
The secretary of state shall allocate space in the pamphlet to candidates or nominees according to the respective offices sought. Candidates or nominees will equally share prorated space based on the number of words allowed in the statement for that office under RCW 29.80.020.
Sec. 7. RCW 29.80.080 and 1981 c 243 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
Before the
applicable state primary and state general election, the secretary of state
shall mail without charge taped transcripts of the ((candidates'))
pamphlet to any requesting blind person or organization representing the
blind. Braille transcripts may also be mailed by the secretary of state to
such persons or organizations. Availability of these transcripts shall be
publicized by the secretary of state through public service announcements and
other appropriate means.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. The following acts or parts of acts are each repealed:
(1) RCW 29.80.050 and 1971 ex.s c 145 s 3 & 1965 c 9 s 29.80.050; and
(2) RCW 29.80.060 and 1965 c 9 s 29.80.060.
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