H‑0567.1 _____________________________________________
HOUSE BILL 1143
_____________________________________________
State of Washington 57th Legislature 2001 Regular Session
By Representatives D. Schmidt, Morris, Benson, Edmonds, Ogden, Jackley and Lovick
Read first time 01/18/2001. Referred to Committee on State Government.
_1 AN ACT Relating to presidential electors; and amending RCW
_2 29.71.020 and 29.71.040.
_3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
_4 Sec. 1. RCW 29.71.020 and 1990 c 59 s 69 are each amended to read
_5 as follows:
_6 (1) In the year in which a presidential election is held, each
_7 major political party and each minor political party or
_8 independent candidate convention held under chapter 29.24 RCW that
_9 nominates candidates for president and vice-president of the
10 United States shall nominate one congressional district elector
11 representing each congressional district of this state and two
12 state presidential electors ((for this)) representing
the entire
13 state. The party or convention shall file with the secretary of
14 state a certificate signed by the presiding officer of the
15 convention at which the presidential electors were chosen, listing
16 the names and addresses of the state presidential electors and the
17 congressional district electors. Each presidential elector shall
18 execute and file with the secretary of state a pledge that, as an
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_1 elector, he or she will vote for the candidates nominated by that
_2 party. The names of presidential electors shall not appear on the
_3 ballots.
_4 (2) The votes cast statewide for candidates for president and
_5 vice-president of each political party shall be counted for the
_6 candidates for state presidential electors of that political
_7 party. The candidates for state presidential electors representing
_8 the party of the candidates for president and vice-president
_9 receiving the most votes statewide will be the state presidential
10 electors for the state.
11 (3) The votes cast in a congressional district for candidates
12 for president and vice-president of each political party must be
13 counted for the candidate for congressional district presidential
14 elector of that party. The candidate for congressional district
15 elector representing the party of the candidates for president and
16 vice-president receiving the most votes in the congressional
17 district will be the congressional district elector for that
18 district.
19 Sec. 2. RCW 29.71.040 and 1977 ex.s. c 238 s 2 are each amended to
20 read as follows:
21 The congressional district and state electors of the president
22 and vice-president selected under RCW 29.71.020 shall convene at
23 the seat of government on the day fixed by federal statute, at the
24 hour of twelve o'clock noon of that day. If there is any vacancy in
25 the office of an elector occasioned by death, refusal to act,
26 neglect to attend, or otherwise, the electors present shall
27 immediately proceed to fill it by viva voce, and plurality of
28 votes. When all of the electors have appeared and the vacancies
29 have been filled they shall constitute the college of electors of
30 the state of Washington, and shall proceed to perform the duties
31 required of them by the Constitution and laws of the United
32 States. Each congressional district elector shall vote for the
33 presidential and vice-presidential candidates who received the
34 highest number of votes in the district the elector
35 represents. Each state elector shall vote for the presidential and
36 vice-presidential candidates who received the highest number of
37 votes in this state. Any elector who votes for a person or
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_1 persons not nominated by the party of which he or she is an
_2 elector, or in a manner otherwise inconsistent with this section,
_3 shall be subject to a civil penalty of up to a fine of one
_4 thousand dollars.
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