Brief Description: Authorizing registered voters meeting land ownership requirements to file for and serve as water-sewer district commissioners when voids in candidacy occur.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Government Operations & Elections (originally sponsored by Senators Haugen, Fairley and Kline).

Senate Committee on Government Operations & Elections
House Committee on Local Government

Background: The board of commissioners of a water-sewer district, with a majority vote, may decide that subsequent commissioners be elected from commissioner districts. In such commissioner districts, only registered voters who reside in the commissioner district may be a candidate for, or serve as, commissioner of the district. Candidates for commissioner of a commissioner district are nominated at the primary by voters of the commissioner district, but voters of the entire water-sewer district elect the candidates at the general election.

In nonpartisan races, the filing period will be reopened for three days if no candidates have filed for office, if all candidates who have filed are disqualified, or if a vacancy occurs leaving an unexpired term to be filled by an election for which filings have not been held.

Summary: In water-sewer districts with fewer than one hundred residents, if the filing period is reopened for a district commissioner, any registered voter who resides or holds title or evidence of title to land in the district may file as a district commissioner candidate.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate      46   1
House      90   4   (House amended)
Senate      46   0   (Senate concurred)

Effective:   July 22, 2007