S-2646.2  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 6176

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2001 Regular Session

By Senators Hochstatter, Patterson, Costa, Stevens, Fairley, Parlette, Hargrove, Oke, Regala, Rasmussen, Haugen, Zarelli, Gardner, Finkbeiner, Fraser, Winsley, Honeyford, Snyder, McCaslin, McAuliffe, Eide, Long, Carlson, Roach, Deccio, Hewitt, Thibaudeau, Franklin, T. Sheldon, West, Shin and Kastama

Read first time 04/11/2001.  Referred to Committee on State & Local Government.

Reenacting and affirming Washington's blanket primary system.

    AN ACT Relating to primary elections; reenacting RCW 29.18.200 and 29.30.005; creating a new section; and providing for submission of this act to a vote of the people.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The legislature recognizes that any rights political parties have in the choosing of candidates is implicit in the sovereign citizens' expressed choice.  The legislature further finds that the citizens of Washington are satisfied with the blanket primary election system and reject any attack on that system by political parties, courts, legislators, or administrators.  Washington's blanket primary election system is hereby reenacted and affirmed.

    Sec. 2.  RCW 29.18.200 and 1990 c 59 s 88 are each reenacted to read as follows:

    Except as provided otherwise in chapter 29.19 RCW, all properly registered voters may vote for their choice at any primary held under this title, for any candidate for each office, regardless of political affiliation and without a declaration of political faith or adherence on the part of the voter.

    Sec. 3.  RCW 29.30.005 and 1990 c 59 s 93 are each reenacted to read as follows:

    Except for the candidates for the positions of president and vice-president or for a partisan or nonpartisan office for which no primary is required, the names of all candidates who have filed for nomination under chapter 29.18 RCW and those independent candidates and candidates of minor political parties who have been nominated under chapter 29.24 RCW shall appear on the appropriate ballot at the primary throughout the jurisdiction in which they are to be nominated.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.  The secretary of state shall submit this act to the people for their adoption and ratification, or rejection, at the next general election to be held in this state, in accordance with Article II, section 1 of the state Constitution and the laws adopted to facilitate its operation.

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