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SENATE BILL 6171
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Passed Legislature - 1996 Regular Session
State of Washington 54th Legislature 1996
Regular Session
By
Read first time 01/08/96. Referred to Committee
on Government Operations.
Eliminating primary elections for
certain special purpose district commissioners.
AN ACT Relating to
special purpose district elections; and amending RCW 29.21.015, 36.69.090,
68.52.140, and 68.52.155.
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 or for
the office of cemetery district commissioner.
(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.
Sec. 3. RCW 68.52.140 and 1994 c
223 s 75 are each amended to read as follows:
The county legislative
authority shall have full authority to hear and determine the petition, and if
it finds that the formation of the district will be conducive to the public
welfare and convenience, it shall by resolution so declare, otherwise it shall
deny the petition. If the county legislative authority finds in favor of the
formation of the district, it shall designate the name and number of the
district, fix the boundaries thereof, and cause an election to be held therein
for the purpose of determining whether or not the district shall be organized
under the provisions of this chapter, and for the purpose of electing its first
cemetery district commissioners. At the same election three cemetery district
commissioners shall be elected, but the election of the commissioners shall be
null and void if the district is not created. No primary shall be held for
the office of cemetery district commissioner. A special filing period
shall be opened as provided in RCW 29.15.170 and 29.15.180. Candidates shall
run for specific commissioner positions. The person receiving the greatest
number of votes for each commissioner position shall be elected to that
commissioner position. The terms of office of the initial commissioners shall
be as provided in RCW 68.52.220.
Sec. 4. RCW 68.52.155 and 1994 c
223 s 73 are each amended to read as follows:
Cemetery district
elections shall conform with general election laws, 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.
A vacancy
on a board of cemetery district commissioners shall occur and shall be filled
as provided in chapter 42.12 RCW.
