BILL REQ. #:  S-0236.1 

Read first time 01/17/11.   Referred to Committee on Government Operations, Tribal Relations & Elections.

     AN ACT Relating to limiting changes to commissioner districts during commissioner elections and election filing periods; and amending RCW 36.32.020.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 36.32.020 and 1982 c 226 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
     The board of county commissioners of each county shall divide their county into three commissioner districts so that each district shall comprise as nearly as possible one-third of the population of the county: PROVIDED, That the territory comprised in any voting precincts of such districts shall remain compact, and shall not be divided by the lines of said districts.
     However, the commissioners of any county composed entirely of islands and with a population of less than thirty-five thousand may divide their county into three commissioner districts without regard to population, except that if any single island is included in more than one district, the districts on such island shall comprise, as nearly as possible, equal populations.
     The lines of the districts shall not be changed ((oftener)) more than once in four years and only when a full board of commissioners is present. The lines of the districts shall not be changed during the period beginning the earlier of either thirty days prior to the mail-in filing period or any portion of the filing period of the county's commissioner election, and ending the day after the certification of the county's commissioner election, during the calendar year. The districts shall be designated as districts numbered one, two, and three.