HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                      Olympia, Washington

Bill Analysis      Bill No. HB 2513

Revising laws on candidates pamphlets           Hrg Date:  1/27/98

Brief Title

Reps. Keiser/D. Schmidt                                       Staff Contact: Steve Lundin

Sponsor                                    Comm. on Govt. Admin.

                                           Phone: 786-7127

BACKGROUND:

The Secretary of State is required to prepare a state candidates= pamphlets and voters= pamphlets and distribute a copy of a pamphlet to each place of residence in the state.  Whenever possible, a state candidates= pamphlet is combined with a state voters= pamphlet.

A state candidates= pamphlet is prepared for each general election held in an even-numbered year that includes information on nominees for each federal office and state office appearing on the ballot.  This includes nominees for the following offices that are voted upon on both a state-wide and less than state-wide basis: President, United States senator, United States representative, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, Commissioner of Public Lands, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Insurance Commissioner, State Treasurer, State Auditor, Justice of the Supreme Court, judge of the court of appeals, and superior court judge.

A state candidates= pamphlet is only prepared for a general election held in an odd-numbered year to fill a vacancy in a state-wide offices.  A state candidates= pamphlet is not prepared for a general in an odd-numbered year if only a state legislative or Congressional vacancy is to be filled.

A voters= pamphlet is prepared for the election when a state ballot measure is considered.

Counties, first-class cities, and code cities are authorized to prepare and distribute local voters= pamphlets for any primary, general election, or special election and include information on local ballot measures and candidates or nominees for local office.

                                                     Continued

SUMMARY:

Requirements to publish and distribute state candidates= pamphlets are expanded.

A state voters= pamphlet is required to be published and distributed for each general election held in either an even-numbered or odd-numbered year whenever a state official or federal official is to be elected or a vacancy in such an office is to be filled.  A candidates= pamphlet that only includes nominees for the United States Congress or a state legislature need only be distributed to each individual place of residence in the applicable congressional district or legislative district.

If sufficient time exists and sufficient money has been appropriated, the Secretary of State must publish and distribute a candidates= pamphlet for a primary to nominate persons for a federal or state office or to nominate persons to be elected to fill a vacancy in a federal or state office.

In lieu of publishing a state candidates= pamphlet for only congressional or legislative district-wide basis for a primary or general election, the Secretary of State may contract with a county auditor to include information on persons running for those offices in a county voters= pamphlet.

FISCAL NOTE:  Not requested.

EFFECTIVE DATE:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.