1189-S AMS HEAV S2783.1
SHB 1189 - S AMD TO S AMD (S-2700.3/99) - 403
By Senators Heavey and Johnson
WITHDRAWN 4/14/99
On page 16, after line 9 of the amendment, insert the following:
"Sec. 17. RCW 35.22.370 and 1965 c 7 s 35.22.370 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) Notwithstanding that the charter of a city of the first class may forbid the city council from redividing the city into wards except at stated periods, if the city has failed to redivide the city into wards during any such period, the city council by ordinance may do so at any time thereafter: PROVIDED, That there shall not be more than one redivision into wards during any one period specified in the charter.
(2) Notwithstanding the city's charter, every first class city with a population of more than four hundred thousand persons shall have a city council with nine members. Six of the councilmembers shall be elected from districts with each of the six elected from one of six districts, and three councilmembers shall be elected at large.
The council shall by ordinance create a commission to divide the city into six districts and fix the boundaries of the districts. The council shall change the district boundaries from time to time and as provided in chapter 29.70 RCW. No change in the boundaries of any district may be made within one hundred twenty days next before the date of a general municipal election, nor within twenty months after the districts have been established or altered. However, if a boundary change results in one district being represented by more councilmembers than the number to which it is entitled, those having the shortest unexpired terms shall be assigned by the council to districts where there are vacancies, and the councilmembers so assigned shall be deemed to be residents of the districts to which they are assigned for purposes of determining whether those positions are vacant.
Districts shall be used as follows: (a) Only a resident of the district may be a candidate for, or hold office as, a councilmember of the district; and (b) only voters of the district may vote at a primary to nominate candidates for councilmember of the district, and only voters of the district may vote at the general election to elect a councilmember of the district. The three at-large positions shall not be associated with a district and the persons elected may reside anywhere in the city. Voters throughout the city may vote at a primary to nominate candidates for the at-large positions, when a primary is necessary, and at a general election to elect persons to the at-large positions.
Additional territory that is added to the city shall, by act of the council, be annexed to contiguous districts without affecting the right to redistrict at the expiration of twenty months after the last previous division. The removal of a councilmember from the district for which he or she was elected shall create a vacancy in such office.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 18. A new section is added to chapter 35.22 RCW to read as follows:
Every first class city with a population of more than four hundred thousand persons not divided into six districts on the effective date of this section shall appoint a commission pursuant to RCW 35.22.370 to create and fix the boundaries of the six districts.
The districts shall be created by March 1, 2003. The commission shall cease to exist after the initial creation of the districts.
In the municipal general election held in 2003, if the terms of no more than four councilmembers are about to expire, three councilmembers shall be elected by district and one councilmember shall be elected at large. If five or more councilmember's terms are about to expire, four councilmembers shall be elected by district and two councilmembers shall be elected at large.
If the terms of more than five or fewer than four councilmembers are about to expire, the commission shall select by lot the minimum number of additional positions for which the term will terminate in 2003 or positions that will be elected for two-year terms in 2003 so that beginning in 2005 the councilmember's terms will be staggered so that either four or five positions will be elected at each municipal general election, with two at-large positions elected at each election where five councilmember positions are elected."
SHB 1189 - S AMD TO S AMD (S-2700.3/99) - 403
By Senators Heavey and Johnson
WITHDRAWN 4/14/99
On page 16, line 16 of the title amendment, after "35.61.290," strike "and 84.52.010; and" and insert "84.52.010, and 35.22.370;"
On page 16, line 17 of the title amendment, after "RCW" insert "; and adding a new section to chapter 35.22 RCW"
--- END ---