BILL REQ. #:  H-0303.1 

Read first time 01/28/09.   Referred to Committee on State Government & Tribal Affairs.

     AN ACT Relating to clarifying party preference on primary ballots; and amending RCW 29A.52.112.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 29A.52.112 and 2005 c 2 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) A primary is a first stage in the public process by which voters elect candidates to public office.
     (2) Whenever candidates for a partisan office are to be elected, the general election must be preceded by a primary conducted under this chapter. Based upon votes cast at the primary, the top two candidates will be certified as qualified to appear on the general election ballot, unless only one candidate qualifies as provided in RCW ((29A.36.170)) 29A.36.171.
     (3) For partisan office, if a candidate has expressed:
     (a) A major political party ((or independent)), as defined in RCW 29A.04.086, preference on the declaration of candidacy, then that preference will be shown after the name of the candidate on the primary and general election ballots by appropriate abbreviation as set forth in rules ((of)) by the secretary of state. ((A candidate may express no party or independent preference.)) An expression of major political party preference may be done by the party name, in whole or in part, or trademark on the declaration of candidacy. If a candidate uses a major political party name or trademark as part of the party preference on the candidate's declaration of candidacy in conjunction with other descriptors, the preference that will be used will be simply the name of the major political party;
     (b) A minor political party, as defined in RCW 29A.04.097, preference may be done by the party name, in whole or in part, or trademark on the declaration of candidacy, then that preference will be shown after the name of the candidate on the primary and general election ballots by appropriate abbreviation as set forth in rules by the secretary of state. If a candidate uses a minor political party name or trademark as part of the party preference on the candidate's declaration of candidacy in conjunction with other descriptors, the preference that will be used will be simply the name of the minor political party;
     (c) A party preference not meeting (a) or (b) of this subsection, an independent preference, or no indication of party preference on the declaration of candidacy, then the preference that will be shown after the name of the candidate on the primary and general election ballots will be "independent" and as set forth in rules by the secretary of state.
     (4) Any party or independent preferences are shown for the information of voters only and may in no way limit the options available to voters.