S-3502.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 6416

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1998 Regular Session

By Senators Hale, Benton and Oke; by request of Secretary of State

Read first time 01/19/98.  Referred to Committee on Government Operations.

Determining the order of candidates on ballots.

    AN ACT Relating to the order of candidates on ballots; amending RCW 29.30.025; and repealing RCW 29.30.040.

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

    Sec. 1.  RCW 29.30.025 and 1990 c 59 s 80 are each amended to read as follows:

    After the close of business on the last day for candidates to file for office, the filing officer shall, from among those filings made in person and by mail, determine by lot the order in which the names of those candidates will appear on all primary, sample, and absentee ballots.  ((In the case of candidates for city, town, and district office, this procedure shall also determine the order for candidate names on the official primary ballot used at the polling place.))  The determination shall be done publicly and may be witnessed by the media and by any candidate.  If no primary is required for any nonpartisan office under RCW 29.15.150 or 29.21.015, the names shall appear on the general election ballot in the order determined by lot.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  RCW 29.30.040 and 1990 c 59 s 94, 1977 ex.s. c 361 s 54, & 1965 c 9 s 29.30.040 are each repealed.

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