BILL REQ. #:  H-3659.1 

Prefiled 1/6/2006. Read first time 01/09/2006.   Referred to Committee on State Government Operations & Accountability.

     AN ACT Relating to making changes to the partisan primary ballot format; and amending RCW 29A.36.104 and 29A.36.106.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 29A.36.104 and 2004 c 271 s 126 are each amended to read as follows:
     Partisan primaries must be conducted using either((:)) a consolidated ballot format or a physically separate ballot format.
     (1) A consolidated ballot format ((that)) must include((s)) a major political party identification check-off box that allows a voter to select from a list of the major political parties the major political party with which the voter chooses to affiliate. It must also include a check-off box that allows the voter to indicate that he or she is voting only the nonpartisan races and ballot measures. The consolidated ballot must include all partisan races, nonpartisan races, and ballot measures to be voted on at that primary((; or)).
     (2) A physically separate ballot format ((that)) must include((s both)) all party ballots and a nonpartisan ballot. A party ballot must be specific to a particular major political party and may include only the partisan offices to be voted on at that primary and the names of candidates for those partisan offices who designated that same major political party in their declarations of candidacy. The nonpartisan ballot must include all nonpartisan races and ballot measures to be voted on at that primary.

Sec. 2   RCW 29A.36.106 and 2004 c 271 s 127 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) If the consolidated ballot format is used, the major political party identification check-off box must appear on the primary ballot before all offices and ballot measures. Clear and concise instructions to the voter must be prominently displayed immediately before the list of major political parties, and must include:
     (a) A question asking the voter to indicate the major political party with which the voter chooses to affiliate or if the voter prefers to vote nonpartisan races and ballot measures only;
     (b) A statement that, for a major political party candidate, only votes cast by voters who choose to affiliate with that same major political party will be tabulated and reported;
     (c) A statement that votes cast for a major political party candidate by a voter who chooses to affiliate with a different major political party will not be tabulated or reported;
     (d) A statement that votes cast for a major political party candidate by a voter who fails to select a major political party affiliation will not be tabulated or reported;
     (e) A statement that votes cast for a major political party candidate by a voter who selects more than one major political party with which to affiliate will not be tabulated or reported; ((and))
     (f) A statement that the party identification option will not affect votes cast for candidates for nonpartisan offices, or for or against ballot measures; and
     (g) A statement that votes cast for partisan races will not be tabulated or reported if a voter checks the box indicating that he or she is voting only the nonpartisan races and ballot measures.
     (2) If the physically separate ballot format is used, clear and concise instructions to the voter must be prominently displayed, and must include:
     (a) A statement explaining that only one party ballot and one nonpartisan ballot may be voted;
     (b) A statement explaining that if more than one party ballot is voted, none of the party ballots will be tabulated or reported;
     (c) A statement explaining that a voter's affiliation with a major political party will be inferred from the act of voting the party ballot for that major political party; and
     (d) A statement explaining that every eligible registered voter may vote a nonpartisan ballot, regardless of any party affiliation on the part of the voter.