HB 2695 - DIGEST

Declares that the provisions of this act relating to primaries must be liberally construed to further the following interests: (1) The legislature finds that the process of determining which candidates will appear on the general election ballot or be elected to office is a public process, in which all voters must be permitted to participate. The legislature further finds that it is not in the public interest to expend public funds on a nominating process that does not permit the participation of all voters without regard to party affiliation or requires a public declaration of party affiliation;

(2) All qualified registered voters of the state of Washington should be permitted to participate in all meaningful stages of the process for selecting candidates to appear on the general election ballot by voting for the candidate of their choice; and

(3) No registered voter of the state of Washington should be required to divulge to any public or private entity his or her party affiliation, if any, as a prerequisite to voting.

Declares that this act does not take effect and is void in its entirety if, by no later than the close of business on June 30, 2004, the state chairs of each major political party file with the secretary of state a written declaration expressly stating the party's perpetual and irrevocable consent to the participation of all registered voters in the selection of that party's nominees for partisan elected office without limitation based on either party affiliation or the decision of any voters to cast ballots for candidates of more than one party at the same primary.

Repeals RCW 29A.04.157, 29A.20.110, 29A.20.130, 29A.20.200, 29A.24.200, 29A.24.210, 29A.28.010, 29A.28.020, and 29A.36.190.