S‑0423.1 _____________________________________________
SENATE BILL 5034
_____________________________________________
State of Washington 57th Legislature 2001 Regular Session
By Senator Parlette
Read first time 01/08/2001. Referred to Committee on State & Local 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 at
12 large presidential electors ((for this)) representing
the whole
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 presidential electors, and the
17 congressional district for each elector nominated to represent a
18 congressional district. Each presidential elector shall execute and
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_1 file with the secretary of state a pledge that, as an elector, he
_2 or she will vote for the candidates nominated by that party. The
_3 names of presidential electors shall not appear on the 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 at large presidential electors of that political
_7 party. The candidates for at large presidential electors
_8 representing the party of the candidates for president and vice-
_9 president receiving the most votes statewide will be the at large
10 presidential 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 at large electors of the
22 president and vice-president selected under RCW 29.71.020 shall
23 convene at the seat of government on the day fixed by federal
24 statute, at the hour of twelve o'clock noon of that day. If there
25 is any vacancy in the office of an elector occasioned by death,
26 refusal to act, neglect to attend, or otherwise, the electors
27 present shall immediately proceed to fill it by viva voce, and
28 plurality of votes. When all of the electors have appeared and the
29 vacancies have been filled they shall constitute the college of
30 electors of the state of Washington, and shall proceed to perform
31 the duties required of them by the Constitution and laws of the
32 United States. Each congressional district elector shall vote for
33 the presidential and vice-presidential candidates who received the
34 highest number of votes in the district the elector
35 represents. Each at large elector shall vote for the presidential
36 and vice-presidential candidates who received the highest number
37 of 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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