FINAL BILL REPORT

                  SSB 6489

                           C 19 L 98

                      Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Specifying that there will be no primary for a district court position when there are no more than two candidates filed for the position.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Government Operations (originally sponsored by Senators McCaslin, Long, Hargrove, Fairley, Goings, Hale, Kline, Thibaudeau, Prince, Patterson, Winsley, Kohl, Oke and Haugen).

Senate Committee on Government Operations

House Committee on Government Administration

Background:  No primary is held for any position in any city, town or special purpose district if there are no more than two candidates for the position.  No primary is held for the office of commissioner of a park and recreation district or for the office of cemetery district commissioner.

Even if only one candidate files for a position, a primary is held for offices of Superintendent of Public Instruction, judge of the Supreme Court, judge of the Court of Appeals, judge of the superior court (in a county with a population under 100,000) and judge of the district court.

Summary:  No primary is held for the office of judge of the district court if there are no more than two candidates filed for the position.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate 43 0

House     95 0

Effective:  June 11, 1998