H-4257.1  _______________________________________________

                    SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2698

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2002 Regular Session

By House Committee on State Government (originally sponsored by Representatives Dunshee and Jarrett)

Read first time 02/08/2002.  Referred to Committee on .

Studying instant runoff voting.

    AN ACT Relating to the process for election to Washington state and federal elective office; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  (1) The legislature recognizes that instant runoff voting may be a method to increase voter interest and participation while maintaining clean elections.  Therefore, the house of representatives and the senate shall convene a workgroup to evaluate a method of elections known as instant runoff voting.  The efforts of the workgroup shall include:

    (a) An analysis of instant runoff voting;

    (b) An analysis of the efforts in other states;

    (c) An analysis of the estimated cost of instant runoff voting to the state and to local governments;

    (d) A discussion of recommendations regarding instant runoff voting, including issues upon which the workgroup can agree and those that remain in dispute; and

    (e) Any other issues materially related to instant runoff voting identified by the workgroup during its deliberations.

    (2) The workgroup shall consist of eight members.  Four members shall be from the senate, two from each caucus to be appointed by the president of the senate, and four members shall be from the house of representatives, two from each caucus to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.  The workgroup shall solicit input from other agencies and organizations, to include but not be limited to the office of the secretary of state, the office of community development, the Washington association of county officials, and the league of women voters.

    (3) The members of the legislature appointed to the workgroup shall be paid by the legislature under chapter 44.04 RCW.  Support staff for the workgroup shall be provided by senate committee services and the office of program research.  The workgroup shall submit its findings and recommendations to the senate state and local government committee and the house of representatives state government committee not later than December 15, 2002.  The workgroup shall terminate on December 31, 2002.

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