BILL REQ. #:  H-0501.1 

Read first time .   Referred to .

     AN ACT Relating to provisions regarding consolidated ballots; and amending RCW 29A.36.106.

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

Sec. 1   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;
     (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)) and reported only if candidates for the same major political party were voted throughout the ballot;
     (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.
     (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.