5499-S.E AMH HINK REIL 153

ESSB 5499 - H AMD TO H AMD (5499-S.E AMH HUNS REIL 151)

By Representative Hinkle

    On page 18 of the striking amendment, after line 23, insert the following:

   "NEW SECTION. Sec. 24. The secretary of state shall study the feasibility of requiring that the names of the top two vote-getters in primary elections of justices of the state supreme court, judges of the courts of appeals, superior courts, and district courts, and the superintendent of public instruction shall appear on the general election ballot. The study shall include a survey of how many times a judicial candidate and a candidate for superintendent of public instruction have appeared without opposition on the general election ballot from 1985 to present; the number of voters voting for these races in the primary election as opposed to voting for the same races in the general election; and if the differences in the numbers of voters voting at the primary and voting at the general election may have resulted in a different election result. The study shall also include a financial analysis of the proposed changes. The secretary of state shall report the results of the study to the appropriate committees of the legislature no later than January 31, 2006."

   Renumber the sections consecutively and correct any internal references accordingly. 

EFFECT: Requires the Secretary of State to study the feasibility of requiring that the top two vote-getters for judicial and superintendent of public instruction races appear on the general election ballot, regardless of if the top vote-getter receives a majority of the vote.