BILL REQ. #:  S-4042.1 

READ FIRST TIME 01/28/14.   

     AN ACT Relating to reconciling election laws; amending RCW 2.04.100, 2.06.080, 2.08.069, 2.08.120, 3.34.050, 3.34.100, 17.28.090, 27.12.370, 27.12.100, 28A.315.275, 28A.323.050, 28A.343.010, 28A.343.060, 28A.343.350, 35.02.078, 35.02.086, 35.02.100, 35.06.080, 35.07.050, 35.10.410, 35.10.420, 35.13.090, 35.16.030, 35.16.050, 35.17.310, 35.18.020, 35.23.805, 35A.12.040, 35A.14.080, 36.12.050, 36.16.020, 36.16.030, 36.32.030, 36.32.0558, 39.36.050, 52.04.011, 52.06.030, 52.14.060, 53.04.020, 53.04.023, 53.04.080, 53.12.172, 53.12.221, 54.08.060, 57.12.030, 57.12.039, 57.24.240, 68.52.250, 70.44.047, 82.14.036, 82.46.021, 82.80.090, 85.38.060, 85.38.070, 87.03.083, 52.26.080, 29A.04.321, 29A.04.330, 29A.08.161, 29A.08.210, 29A.08.230, 29A.24.111, 29A.60.221, 35.21.005, 35.22.120, 35A.01.040, 53.12.175, 29A.08.107, 53.12.010, 53.12.021, 53.12.115, 53.12.130, 53.16.015, 29A.08.810, 29A.68.020, 2.06.010, 29A.60.280, 35.17.260, 35.17.380, 35.17.400, 35.18.240, 35.22.055, and 36.32.070; reenacting and amending RCW 28A.343.030, 28A.343.320, 28A.343.660, and 29A.40.110; repealing RCW 28A.343.330 and 52.14.030; and repealing 2013 c 11 s 45.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 2.04.100 and 1971 c 81 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     If a vacancy occurs in the office of a justice of the supreme court, the governor shall appoint a person to hold the office until the election and qualification of a justice to fill the vacancy, which election shall take place at the next succeeding general election as provided in chapter 29A.24 RCW, and the justice so elected shall hold the office for the remainder of the unexpired term.

Sec. 2   RCW 2.06.080 and 1969 ex.s. c 221 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:
     If a vacancy occurs in the office of a judge of the court, the governor shall appoint a person to hold the office until the election and qualification of a judge to fill the vacancy, which election shall take place at the next succeeding general election as provided in chapter 29A.24 RCW and the judge so elected shall hold the office for the remainder of the unexpired term.

Sec. 3   RCW 2.08.069 and 1955 c 38 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
     Unless otherwise provided, upon the taking effect of any act providing for additional judges of the superior court and thereby creating a vacancy, the governor shall appoint a person to hold the office until the election and qualification of a judge to fill the vacancy, which election shall be at the next succeeding general election as provided in chapter 29A.24 RCW, and the judge so elected shall hold office for the remainder of the unexpired term.

Sec. 4   RCW 2.08.120 and 1955 c 38 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:
     If a vacancy occurs in the office of judge of the superior court, the governor shall appoint a person to hold the office until the election and qualification of a judge to fill the vacancy, which election shall be at the next succeeding general election as provided in chapter 29A.24 RCW, and the judge so elected shall hold office for the remainder of the unexpired term.

Sec. 5   RCW 3.34.050 and 1998 c 19 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     At the general election in November 1962 and quadrennially thereafter, there shall be elected by the voters of each district court district the number of judges authorized for the district by the district court districting plan. Judges shall be elected for each district and electoral district, if any, by the qualified electors of the district ((in the same manner as judges of courts of record are elected, except as provided in chapter 29.21 RCW. Not less than ten days before the time for filing declarations of candidacy for the election of judges for districts entitled to more than one judge, the county auditor shall designate each such office of district judge to be filled by a number, commencing with the number one and numbering the remaining offices consecutively. At the time of the filing of the declaration of candidacy, each candidate shall designate by number which one, and only one, of the numbered offices for which he or she is a candidate and the name of the candidate shall appear on the ballot for only the numbered office for which the candidate filed a declaration of candidacy)).

Sec. 6   RCW 3.34.100 and 2003 c 97 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     If a district judge dies, resigns, is convicted of a felony, ceases to reside in the district, fails to serve for any reason except temporary disability, or if his or her term of office is terminated in any other manner, the office shall be deemed vacant. The county legislative authority shall fill all vacancies by appointment and the judge thus appointed shall hold office until the next even-year general election and until a successor is elected and qualified, consistent with chapter 29A.24 RCW. However, if a vacancy in the office of district court judge occurs and the total number of district court judges remaining in the county is equal to or greater than the number of district court judges authorized in RCW 3.34.010 then the position shall remain vacant. District judges shall be granted sick leave in the same manner as other county employees. A district judge may receive when vacating office remuneration for unused accumulated leave and sick leave at a rate equal to one day's monetary compensation for each full day of accrued leave and one day's monetary compensation for each four full days of accrued sick leave, the total remuneration for leave and sick leave not to exceed the equivalent of thirty days' monetary compensation.

Sec. 7   RCW 17.28.090 and 2011 c 336 s 464 are each amended to read as follows:
     If, from the testimony given before the county commissioners, it appears to that board that the public necessity or welfare requires the formation of the district, it shall, by an order entered on its minutes, declare that to be its finding, and shall further declare and order that the territory within the boundaries so fixed and determined be organized as a district, under an appropriate name to be selected by the county commissioners, subject to approval of the voters of the district as hereinafter provided. The name shall contain the words "mosquito control district."
     At the time of the declaration establishing and naming the district, the county commissioners shall by resolution call a special election to be held ((not less than thirty days and not more than sixty days from the date thereof)) on a date provided in RCW 29A.04.321 or 29A.04.330, and shall cause to be published a notice of such election at least once a week for three consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county, setting forth the ((hours during which the polls will be open, the)) boundaries of the proposed district as finally adopted((,)) and the object of the election. If any portion of the proposed district lies in another county, a notice of such election shall likewise be published in that county.
     The election on the formation of the mosquito control district shall be conducted by the auditor of the county in which the greater area of the proposed district is located in accordance with the general election laws of the state and the results thereof shall be canvassed by that county's canvassing board. For the purpose of conducting an election under this section, the auditor of the county in which the greater area of the proposed district is located may appoint the auditor of any county ((or the city clerk of any city)) lying wholly or partially within the proposed district as his or her deputies. No person shall be entitled to vote at such election unless he or she is a qualified voter under the laws of the state in effect at the time of such election and has resided within the mosquito control district for at least thirty days preceding the date of the election. The ballot proposition shall be in substantially the following form:

Sec. 8   RCW 27.12.370 and 2011 c 10 s 78 are each amended to read as follows:
     The county legislative authority or authorities shall, by resolution, call a special election to be held in such city or town at the next special election date according to RCW 29A.04.321, and shall cause notice of such election to be given as provided for in RCW 29A.52.355.
     The election on the annexation of the city or town into the library district shall be conducted by the auditor of the county or counties in which the city or town is located in accordance with the general election laws of the state and the results thereof shall be canvassed by the canvassing board of the county or counties. No person shall be entitled to vote at such election unless he or she is registered to vote in said city or town ((for at least thirty days preceding the date of the election)). The ballot proposition shall be in substantially the following form:

Sec. 9   RCW 27.12.100 and 1965 c 63 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     An intercounty rural library district shall be established by joint action of two or more counties proceeding by either of the following alternative methods:
     (1) The boards of county commissioners of any two or more counties shall adopt identical resolutions proposing the formation of such a district to include all of the areas outside of incorporated cities or towns in such counties as may be designated in such resolutions. In lieu of such resolutions a petition of like purport signed by ten percent of the registered voters residing outside of incorporated cities or towns of a county, may be filed with the county auditor thereof, and shall have the same effect as a resolution. The proposition for the formation of the district as stated on the petition shall be prepared by the attorney general upon request of the state library commission. Action to initiate the formation of such a district shall become ineffective in any county if corresponding action is not completed within one year thereafter by each other county included in such proposal. The county auditor in each county shall check the validity of the signatures on the petition and shall certify to the board of county commissioners the sufficiency of the signatures. If each petition contains the signatures of ten percent of the registered voters residing outside the incorporated cities and towns of the county, each board of county commissioners shall pass a resolution calling an election for the purpose of submitting the question to the voters and setting the date of said election. When such action has been taken in each of the counties involved, notification shall be made by each board of county commissioners to the board of county commissioners of the county having the largest population according to the last federal census, who shall give proper notification to each county auditor. At the next general or special election held in the respective counties there shall be submitted to the voters in the areas outside of incorporated cities and towns a question as to whether an intercounty rural library district shall be established as outlined in the resolutions or petitions. ((Notice of said election shall be given the county auditor pursuant to RCW 29.27.080. The county auditor shall provide for the printing of a separate ballot and shall provide for the distribution of ballots to the polling places pursuant to RCW 29.04.020. The county auditor shall instruct the election boards in split precincts.)) The respective county canvassing boards in each county to be included within the intercounty rural library district shall canvass the votes and certify the results to the county auditor ((pursuant to chapter 29.62 RCW)); the result shall then be certified by each county auditor to the county auditor of the county having the largest population according to the last federal census. If a majority of the electors voting on the proposition in each of the counties affected shall vote in favor of such district it shall thereby become established, and the board of county commissioners of the county having the largest population according to the last federal census shall declare the intercounty rural library district established. If two or more of the counties affected are in an existing intercounty rural library district, then the electors in areas outside incorporated cities and towns in those counties shall vote as a unit and the electors in areas outside incorporated cities and towns in each of the other affected counties shall vote as separate units. If a majority of the electors voting on the proposition in the existing district and a majority of the voters in any of the other affected counties shall vote in favor of an expanded intercounty rural library district it shall thereby become established.
     (2) The county commissioners of two or more counties meeting in joint session attended by a majority of the county commissioners of each county may, by majority vote of those present, order the establishment of an intercounty rural library district to include all of the area outside of incorporated cities and towns in as many of the counties represented at such joint meeting as shall be determined by resolution of such joint meeting. If two or more counties are in an existing intercounty rural library district, then a majority vote of all of the commissioners present from those counties voting as a unit, and a majority vote of the commissioners present from any other county shall cause the joint session to order the establishment of an expanded intercounty rural library district. No county, however, shall be included in such district if a majority of its county commissioners vote against its inclusion in such district.

Sec. 10   RCW 28A.315.275 and 1999 c 315 s 704 are each amended to read as follows:
     Notice of special elections as provided for in RCW 28A.315.265 shall be given by the county auditor as provided in RCW ((29.27.080)) 29A.52.355. The notice of election shall state the purpose for which the election has been called and contain a description of the boundaries of the proposed new district and a statement of any terms of adjustment of bonded indebtedness on which to be voted.

Sec. 11   RCW 28A.323.050 and 1990 c 33 s 311 are each amended to read as follows:
     The registered voters residing within a joint school district shall be entitled to vote on the office of school director of their district.
     Jurisdiction of any such election shall rest with the county auditor of the county administering such joint district as provided in RCW ((28A.315.380)) 28A.323.040.
     ((At each general election, or upon approval of a request for a special election as provided for in RCW 29.13.020, such county auditor shall:
     (1) See that there shall be at least one polling place in each county;
     (2) At least twenty days prior to the elections concerned, certify in writing to the superintendent of the school district the number and location of the polling places established by such auditor for such regular or special elections; and
     (3) Do all things otherwise required by law for the conduct of such election.
     It is the intention of this section that the qualified electors of a joint school district shall not be forced to go to a different polling place on the same day when other elections are being held to vote for school directors of their district.))

Sec. 12   RCW 28A.343.010 and 1990 c 33 s 317 are each amended to read as follows:
     Whenever the directors to be elected in a school district that is not divided into directors' districts are not all to be elected for the same term of years, the county auditor shall distinguish them and ((designate the same as provided for in RCW 29.21.140, and)) assign position numbers thereto ((as provided in RCW 28A.315.470)), and each candidate shall indicate on his or her declaration of candidacy the ((term for which he or she seeks to be elected and)) position number for which he or she is filing. The candidate receiving the largest number of votes for each position shall be deemed elected.

Sec. 13   RCW 28A.343.030 and 1991 c 363 s 23 and 1991 c 288 s 4 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
     The board of directors of every first-class school district other than a school district of the first class having within its boundaries a city with a population of four hundred thousand people or more which is not divided into directors' districts may submit to the voters at any regular school district election a proposition to authorize the board of directors to divide the district into directors' districts or for second-class school districts into director districts or a combination of no fewer than three director districts and no more than two at large positions. If a majority of the votes cast on the proposition is affirmative, the board of directors shall proceed to divide the district into directors' districts following the procedure established in RCW ((29.70.100)) 29A.76.010. Such director districts, if approved, shall not become effective until the next regular school election when a new five member board of directors shall be elected, one from each of the director districts from among the residents of the respective director district, or from among the residents of the entire school district in the case of directors at large, by the electors of the entire district, two for a term of two years and three for a term of four years, unless such district elects its directors for six years, in which case, one for a term of two years, two for a term of four years, and two for a term of six years.

Sec. 14   RCW 28A.343.060 and 1991 c 288 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:
     (((1))) Any district boundary changes, including changes in director district boundaries, shall be submitted to the county auditor by the school district board of directors within thirty days after the changes have been approved by the board. The board shall submit both legal descriptions and maps.
     (((2) Any boundary changes submitted to the county auditor after the fourth Monday in June of odd-numbered years shall not take effect until the following year.))

Sec. 15   RCW 28A.343.320 and 1990 c 161 s 4 and 1990 c 59 s 98 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
     Candidates for the position of school director shall file their declarations of candidacy as provided in ((Title 29)) chapter 29A.24 RCW.
     The positions of school directors in each district shall be dealt with as separate offices for all election purposes, and where more than one position is to be filled, each candidate shall file for one of the positions so designated: PROVIDED, That in school districts containing director districts, or a combination of director districts and director at large positions, candidates shall file for such director districts or at large positions. Position numbers shall be assigned to correspond to director district numbers to the extent possible.

Sec. 16   RCW 28A.343.350 and 1999 c 194 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     Notwithstanding RCW 42.12.010(4), a school director elected from a director district may continue to serve as a director from the district even though the director no longer resides in the director district, but continues to reside in the school district, under the following conditions:
     (1) If, as a result of redrawing the director district boundaries, the director no longer resides in the director district, the director shall retain his or her position for the remainder of his or her term of office; and
     (2) If, as a result of the director changing his or her place of residence the director no longer resides in the director district, the director shall retain his or her position until a successor is elected and assumes office as follows: (a) If the change in residency occurs after the ((opening of the regular filing period provided under RCW 29.15.020)) deadline in RCW 29A.24.171 for a vacancy to trigger an election, in the year two years after the director was elected to office, the director shall remain in office for the remainder of his or her term of office; or (b) if the change in residency occurs prior to the ((opening of the regular filing period provided under RCW 29.15.020)) deadline in RCW 29A.24.171 for a vacancy to trigger an election, in the year two years after the director was elected to office, the position shall be opened for filing and the director shall remain in office until a successor assumes office who has been elected to serve the remainder of the unexpired term of office at the school district general election held in that year.

Sec. 17   RCW 28A.343.660 and 1991 c 363 s 28 and 1991 c 288 ss 5 and 6 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
     Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any school district of the first class having within its boundaries a city with a population of four hundred thousand people or more shall be divided into seven director districts. The boundaries of such director districts shall be established by the members of the school board, such boundaries to be established so that each such district shall comply, as nearly as practicable, with the criteria established in RCW ((29.70.100)) 29A.76.010. Boundaries of such director districts shall be adjusted by the school board following the procedure established in RCW ((29.70.100)) 29A.76.010 after each federal decennial census if population change shows the need thereof to comply with the criteria of RCW ((29.70.100)) 29A.76.010. No person shall be eligible for the position of school director in any such director district unless such person resides in the particular director district. Residents in the particular director district desiring to be a candidate for school director shall file their declarations of candidacy for such director district and for the position of director in that district and shall be voted upon, in any primary required to be held for the position under Title 29A RCW, by the registered voters of that particular director district. In the general election, each position shall be voted upon by all the registered voters in the school district. The order of the names of candidates shall appear on the primary and general election ballots as required for nonpartisan positions under Title 29A RCW. Except as provided in RCW ((28A.315.680)) 28A.343.670, every such director so elected in school districts divided into seven director districts shall serve for a term of four years as otherwise provided in RCW ((28A.315.460)) 28A.343.610.

Sec. 18   RCW 35.02.078 and 1994 c 216 s 18 are each amended to read as follows:
     An election shall be held in the area proposed to be incorporated to determine whether the proposed city or town shall be incorporated when the boundary review board takes action on the proposal other than disapproving the proposal, or if the county legislative authority does not disapprove the proposal as provided in RCW 35.02.070. Voters at this election shall determine if the area is to be incorporated.
     The initial election on the question of incorporation shall be held at the next special election date specified in RCW ((29.13.020 that occurs sixty or more days)) 29A.04.321 or 29A.04.330 after the final public hearing by the county legislative authority or authorities, or action by the boundary review board or boards. The county legislative authority or authorities shall call for this election and, if the incorporation is approved, shall call for other elections to elect the elected officials as provided in this section. If the vote in favor of the incorporation receives forty percent or less of the total vote on the question of incorporation, no new election on the question of incorporation for the area or any portion of the area proposed to be incorporated may be held for a period of three years from the date of the election in which the incorporation failed.
     If the incorporation is authorized as provided by RCW 35.02.120, separate elections shall be held to nominate and elect persons to fill the various elective offices prescribed by law for the population and type of city or town, and to which it will belong. The primary election to nominate candidates for these elective positions shall be held at the next special election date((, as)) specified in RCW ((29.13.020, that occurs sixty or more days)) 29A.04.321 or 29A.04.330 after the election on the question of incorporation. The election to fill these elective positions shall be held at the next special election date((, as)) specified in RCW ((29.13.020, that occurs thirty or more days)) 29A.04.321 or 29A.04.330 after certification of the results of the primary election.

Sec. 19   RCW 35.02.086 and 2009 c 107 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:
     Each candidate for a city or town elective position shall file a declaration of candidacy with the county auditor of the county in which all or the major portion of the city or town is located ((not more than sixty days nor less than forty-five days)) prior to the primary election at which the initial elected officials are nominated. The elective positions shall be as provided in law for the type of city or town and form or plan of government specified in the petition to incorporate, and for the population of the city or town as determined by the county legislative authority or boundary review board where applicable. ((Any candidate may withdraw his or her declaration at any time within five days after the last day allowed for filing a declaration of candidacy. All names of candidates to be voted upon shall be printed upon the ballot alphabetically in groups under the designation of the respective titles of offices for which they are candidates. Names of candidates printed upon the ballot need not be rotated.))

Sec. 20   RCW 35.02.100 and 1986 c 234 s 13 are each amended to read as follows:
     The notice of election on the question of the incorporation shall be given as provided by RCW ((29.27.080)) 29A.52.355 but shall further describe the boundaries of the proposed city or town, its name, and the number of inhabitants ascertained by the county legislative authority or the boundary review board to reside in it.

Sec. 21   RCW 35.06.080 and 1994 c 81 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:
     The first election of officers of the new corporation after the advancement of classification is approved shall be at the next general municipal election and the officers of the old corporation, as altered by the election when the advancement was approved, shall remain in office until the officers of the new corporation are elected and qualified and assume office in accordance with ((RCW 29.04.170)) Title 29A RCW. A primary shall be held where necessary to nominate candidates for the elected offices of the corporation as a second-class city. Candidates for city council positions shall run for specific council positions. The council of the old corporation may adopt a resolution providing that the offices of city attorney, clerk, and treasurer are appointive.
     The three persons who are elected to council positions one through six receiving the greatest number of votes shall be elected to four-year terms of office and the other three persons who are elected to council positions one through six, and the person elected to council position seven, shall be elected to two-year terms of office. The person elected as mayor and the persons elected to any other elected office shall be elected to four-year terms of office. All successors to all elected positions, other than council position number seven, shall be elected to four-year terms of office and successors to council position number seven shall be elected to two-year terms of office.
     There shall be no election of town offices at this election when the first officers of the new corporation are elected and the offices of the town shall expire when the officers of the new corporation assume office.
     The ordinances, bylaws, and resolutions adopted by the old corporation shall, as far as consistent with the provisions of this title, continue in force until repealed by the council of the new corporation.
     The council and officers of the town shall, upon demand, deliver to the proper officers of the new corporation all books of record, documents, and papers in their possession belonging to the old corporation.

Sec. 22   RCW 35.07.050 and 1965 c 7 s 35.07.050 are each amended to read as follows:
     Notice of such election shall be given as provided in RCW ((29.27.080)) 29A.52.355.

Sec. 23   RCW 35.10.410 and 1985 c 281 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
     The submission of a ballot proposal to the voters of two or more contiguous cities for the consolidation of these contiguous cities may be caused by the adoption of a joint resolution, by a majority vote of each city legislative body, seeking consolidation of such contiguous cities. The joint resolution shall provide for submission of the question to the voters at the next general municipal election, if one is to be held more than ninety days but not more than one hundred eighty days after the passage of the joint resolution, or shall call for a special election to be held for that purpose at the next special election date, as specified in RCW ((29.13.020)) 29A.04.330, that occurs ninety or more days after the passage of the joint resolution. The legislative bodies of the cities also shall notify the county legislative authority of each county in which the cities are located of the proposed consolidation.

Sec. 24   RCW 35.10.420 and 1995 c 196 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:
     The submission of a ballot proposal to the voters of two or more contiguous cities for the consolidation of these contiguous cities may also be caused by the filing of a petition with the legislative body of each such city, signed by the voters of each city in number equal to not less than ten percent of voters who voted in the city at the last general municipal election therein, seeking consolidation of such contiguous cities. A copy of the petition shall be forwarded immediately by each city to the auditor of the county or counties within which that city is located.
     The county auditor or auditors shall determine the sufficiency of the signatures in each petition within ten days of receipt of the copies and immediately notify the cities proposed to be consolidated of the sufficiency. If each of the petitions is found to have sufficient valid signatures, the auditor or auditors shall call a special election at which the question of whether such cities shall consolidate shall be submitted to the voters of each of such cities. If a general election is to be held more than ninety days but not more than one hundred eighty days after the filing of the last petition, the question shall be submitted at that election. Otherwise the question shall be submitted at a special election to be called for that purpose at the next special election date((, as)) specified in RCW ((29.13.020, that occurs ninety or more days after the date when the last petition was filed)) 29A.04.330.
     If each of the petitions is found to have sufficient valid signatures, the auditor or auditors also shall notify the county legislative authority of each county in which the cities are located of the proposed consolidation.
     Petitions shall conform with the requirements for form prescribed in RCW 35A.01.040, except different colored paper may be used on petitions circulated in the different cities. A legal description of the cities need not be included in the petitions.

Sec. 25   RCW 35.13.090 and 1996 c 286 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The proposition for or against annexation or for or against annexation and adoption of the comprehensive plan, or for or against creation of a community municipal corporation, or any combination thereof, as the case may be, shall be deemed approved if a majority of the votes cast on that proposition are cast in favor of annexation or in favor of annexation and adoption of the comprehensive plan, or for creation of the community municipal corporation, or any combination thereof, as the case may be.
     (2) If a proposition for or against assumption of all or any portion of indebtedness was submitted to the registered voters, it shall be deemed approved if a majority of at least three-fifths of the registered voters of the territory proposed to be annexed voting on such proposition vote in favor thereof, and the number of registered voters voting on such proposition constitutes not less than forty percent of the total number of votes cast in such territory at the last preceding general election.
     (3) If either or both propositions were approved by the registered voters, the county auditor shall on completion of the canvassing of the returns transmit to the county legislative authority and to the clerk of the city or town to which annexation is proposed a certificate of the election results, together with a certified abstract of the vote showing the whole number who voted at the election, the number of votes cast for annexation and the number cast against annexation or for annexation and adoption of the comprehensive plan and the number cast against annexation and adoption of the comprehensive plan or for creation of a community municipal corporation and the number cast against creation of a community municipal corporation, or any combination thereof, as the case may be.
     (4) If a proposition for assumption of all or of any portion of indebtedness was submitted to the registered voters, the abstract shall include the number of votes cast for assumption of indebtedness and the number of votes cast against assumption of indebtedness, together with a statement of the total number of votes cast in such territory at the last preceding general election.
     (5) If the proposition for creation of a community municipal corporation was submitted and approved, the abstract shall include the number of votes cast for the candidates for community council positions and certificates of election shall be issued ((pursuant to RCW 29.27.100)) to the successful candidates who shall assume office as soon as qualified.

Sec. 26   RCW 35.16.030 and 1994 c 273 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     The election returns shall be canvassed as provided in ((RCW 29.13.040)) chapter 29A.60 RCW. If three-fifths of the votes cast on the proposition favor the reduction of the corporate limits, the legislative body of the city or town, by an order entered on its minutes, shall direct the clerk to make and transmit to the office of the secretary of state a certified abstract of the vote. The abstract shall show the total number of voters voting, the number of votes cast for reduction and the number of votes cast against reduction.

Sec. 27   RCW 35.16.050 and 1996 c 286 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     A certified copy of the ordinance defining the reduced city or town limits together with a map showing the corporate limits as altered shall be filed in accordance with RCW ((29.15.026)) 29A.76.020 and recorded in the office of the county auditor of the county in which the city or town is situated, upon the effective date of the ordinance. The new boundaries of the city or town shall take effect immediately after they are filed and recorded with the county auditor.

Sec. 28   RCW 35.17.310 and 1965 c 7 s 35.17.310 are each amended to read as follows:
     The city clerk shall cause any ordinance or proposition required to be submitted to the voters at an election to be published once in each of the daily newspapers in the city not less than five nor more than twenty days before the election, or if no daily newspaper is published in the city, publication shall be made in each of the weekly newspapers published therein. This publication shall be in addition to the notice required in ((chapter 29.27)) RCW 29A.52.355.

Sec. 29   RCW 35.18.020 and 1994 c 223 s 12 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The number of councilmembers in a city or town operating with a council-manager plan of government shall be based upon the latest population of the city or town that is determined by the office of financial management as follows:
     (a) A city or town having not more than two thousand inhabitants, five councilmembers; and
     (b) A city or town having more than two thousand, seven councilmembers.
     (2) Except for the initial staggering of terms, councilmembers shall serve for four-year terms of office. All councilmembers shall serve until their successors are elected and qualified and assume office in accordance with RCW ((29.04.170)) 29A.60.280. Councilmembers may be elected on a citywide or townwide basis, or from wards or districts, or any combination of these alternatives. Candidates shall run for specific positions. Wards or districts shall be redrawn as provided in chapter ((29.70)) 29A.76 RCW. Wards or districts shall be used as follows: (a) Only a resident of the ward or district may be a candidate for, or hold office as, a councilmember of the ward or district; and (b) only voters of the ward or district may vote at a primary to nominate candidates for a councilmember of the ward or district. Voters of the entire city or town may vote at the general election to elect a councilmember of a ward or district, unless the city or town had prior to January 1, 1994, limited the voting in the general election for any or all council positions to only voters residing within the ward or district associated with the council positions. If a city or town had so limited the voting in the general election to only voters residing within the ward or district, then the city or town shall be authorized to continue to do so.
     (3) When a city or town has qualified for an increase in the number of councilmembers from five to seven by virtue of the next succeeding population determination made by the office of financial management, two additional council positions shall be filled at the next municipal general election with the person elected to one of the new council positions receiving the greatest number of votes being elected for a four-year term of office and the person elected to the other additional council position being elected for a two-year term of office. The two additional councilmembers shall assume office immediately when qualified in accordance with RCW ((29.01.135)) 29A.04.133, but the term of office shall be computed from the first day of January after the year in which they are elected. Their successors shall be elected to four-year terms of office.
     Prior to the election of the two new councilmembers, the city or town council shall fill the additional positions by appointment not later than forty-five days following the release of the population determination, and each appointee shall hold office only until the new position is filled by election.
     (4) When a city or town has qualified for a decrease in the number of councilmembers from seven to five by virtue of the next succeeding population determination made by the office of financial management, two council positions shall be eliminated at the next municipal general election if four council positions normally would be filled at that election, or one council position shall be eliminated at each of the next two succeeding municipal general elections if three council positions normally would be filled at the first municipal general election after the population determination. The council shall by ordinance indicate which, if any, of the remaining positions shall be elected at-large or from wards or districts.
     (5) Vacancies on a council shall occur and shall be filled as provided in chapter 42.12 RCW.

Sec. 30   RCW 35.23.805 and 1994 c 81 s 25 are each amended to read as follows:
     In a city initially classified as a second-class city prior to January 1, 1993, that retained its second-class city plan of government when the city reorganized as a noncharter code city, the terms of office of mayor, city clerk, city treasurer and councilmembers shall be four years, and until their successors are elected and qualified and assume office in accordance with RCW ((29.04.170)) 29A.60.280, but not more than six councilmembers normally shall be elected in any one year to fill a full term.

Sec. 31   RCW 35A.12.040 and 1994 c 223 s 31 are each amended to read as follows:
     Officers shall be elected at biennial municipal elections to be conducted as provided in chapter 35A.29 RCW. The mayor and the councilmembers shall be elected for four-year terms of office and until their successors are elected and qualified and assume office in accordance with RCW ((29.04.170)) 29A.60.280. At any first election upon reorganization, councilmembers shall be elected as provided in RCW 35A.02.050. Thereafter the requisite number of councilmembers shall be elected biennially as the terms of their predecessors expire and shall serve for terms of four years. The positions to be filled on the city council shall be designated by consecutive numbers and shall be dealt with as separate offices for all election purposes. Election to positions on the council shall be by majority vote from the city at large, unless provision is made by charter or ordinance for election by wards. The mayor and councilmembers shall qualify by taking an oath or affirmation of office and as may be provided by law, charter, or ordinance.

Sec. 32   RCW 35A.14.080 and 1979 ex.s. c 124 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:
     ((On the Monday next succeeding the annexation election,)) The county canvassing board shall proceed to canvass the returns thereof and shall submit the statement of canvass to the county legislative authority.
     The proposition for or against annexation or for or against annexation and adoption of the proposed zoning regulation, as the case may be, shall be deemed approved if a majority of the votes cast on that proposition are cast in favor of annexation or in favor of annexation and adoption of the proposed zoning regulation, as the case may be. If a proposition for or against assumption of all or any portion of indebtedness was submitted to the electorate, it shall be deemed approved if a majority of at least three-fifths of the electors of the territory proposed to be annexed voting on such proposition vote in favor thereof, and the number of persons voting on such proposition constitutes not less than forty percent of the total number of votes cast in such territory at the last preceding general election. If either or both propositions were approved by the electors, the county legislative authority shall enter a finding to that effect on its minutes, a certified copy of which shall be forthwith transmitted to and filed with the clerk of the city to which annexation is proposed, together with a certified abstract of the vote showing the whole number who voted at the election, the number of votes cast for annexation and the number cast against annexation or for annexation and adoption of the proposed zoning regulation and the number cast against annexation and adoption of the proposed zoning regulation, as the case may be, and if a proposition for assumption of all or any portion of indebtedness was submitted to the electorate, the abstract shall include the number of votes cast for assumption of indebtedness and the number of votes cast against assumption of indebtedness, together with a statement of the total number of votes cast in such territory at the last preceding general election.

Sec. 33   RCW 36.12.050 and 1963 c 4 s 36.12.050 are each amended to read as follows:
     When the returns have been received and compared, and the results ascertained by the board, if three-fifths of the legal votes cast by those voting on the proposition are in favor of any particular place the proposition has been adopted. ((The board of county commissioners must give notice of the result by posting notices thereof in all the election precincts in the county.))

Sec. 34   RCW 36.16.020 and 1979 ex.s. c 126 s 26 are each amended to read as follows:
     The term of office of all county ((and precinct)) officers shall be four years and until their successors are elected and qualified and assume office in accordance with RCW ((29.04.170)) 29A.60.280: PROVIDED, That this section and RCW 36.16.010 shall not apply to county commissioners.

Sec. 35   RCW 36.16.030 and 1996 c 108 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     Except as provided elsewhere in this section, in every county there shall be elected from among the qualified voters of the county a county assessor, a county auditor, a county clerk, a county coroner, three county commissioners, a county prosecuting attorney, a county sheriff and a county treasurer, except that in each county with a population of less than forty thousand no coroner shall be elected and the prosecuting attorney shall be ex officio coroner. Whenever the population of a county increases to forty thousand or more, the prosecuting attorney shall continue as ex officio coroner until a coroner is elected, at the next general election at which the office of prosecuting attorney normally would be elected, and assumes office as provided in RCW ((29.04.170)) 29A.60.280. In any county where the population has once attained forty thousand people and a current coroner is in office and a subsequent census indicates less than forty thousand people, the county legislative authority may maintain the office of coroner by resolution or ordinance. If the county legislative authority has not passed a resolution or enacted an ordinance to maintain the office of coroner, the elected coroner shall remain in office for the remainder of the term for which he or she was elected, but no coroner shall be elected at the next election at which that office would otherwise be filled and the prosecuting attorney shall be the ex officio coroner. In a county with a population of two hundred fifty thousand or more, the county legislative authority may replace the office of coroner with a medical examiner system and appoint a medical examiner as specified in RCW 36.24.190. A noncharter county may have five county commissioners as provided in RCW 36.32.010 and 36.32.055 through 36.32.0558.

Sec. 36   RCW 36.32.030 and 1979 ex.s. c 126 s 27 are each amended to read as follows:
     The terms of office of county commissioners shall be four years and until their successors are elected and qualified and assume office in accordance with RCW ((29.04.170)) 29A.60.280: PROVIDED, That the terms shall be staggered so that either one or two commissioners are elected at a general election held in an even-numbered year.

Sec. 37   RCW 36.32.0558 and 2003 c 238 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     Vacancies on a board of county commissioners consisting of five members shall be filled as provided in RCW 36.32.070, except that:
     (1) Whenever there are three or more vacancies, the governor shall appoint one or more commissioners until there are a total of three commissioners;
     (2) Whenever there are two vacancies, the three commissioners shall fill one of the vacancies;
     (3) Whenever there is one vacancy, the four commissioners shall fill the single vacancy; and
     (4) Whenever there is a vacancy after the general election in a year that the position appears on the ballot and before the start of the next term, the term of the successor who is of the same party as the incumbent may commence once he or she has qualified as defined in RCW ((29.01.135)) 29A.04.133 and shall continue through the term for which he or she was elected.

Sec. 38   RCW 39.36.050 and 1984 c 186 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     The governing body of a taxing district desiring to place a ballot proposition authorizing indebtedness before the voters may submit the proposition at any special election held on the dates authorized in ((chapter 29.13)) RCW 29A.04.321 and 29A.04.330. The ballot proposition shall include the maximum amount of the indebtedness to be authorized, the maximum term any bonds may have, a description of the purpose or purposes of the bond issue, and whether excess property tax levies authorized under RCW 84.52.056 will be authorized.
     When it is required that such bonds be retired by excess property tax levies, or when the governing body desires such bonds be retired by excess property tax levies, the ballot proposition shall also include authorization for such excess bond retirement property tax levies provided under RCW 84.52.056.
     Notice of the proposed election shall be published as required by ((RCW 29.27.080)) 29A.52.355.

Sec. 39   RCW 52.04.011 and 1999 c 105 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) A territory adjacent to a fire protection district and not within the boundaries of a city, town, or other fire protection district may be annexed to the fire protection district by petition of fifteen percent of the qualified registered electors residing within the territory proposed to be annexed. Such territory may be located in a county or counties other than the county or counties within which the fire protection district is located. The petition shall be filed with the fire commissioners of the fire protection district and if the fire commissioners concur in the petition they shall file the petition with the county auditor of the county within which the territory is located. If this territory is located in more than one county, the original petition shall be filed with the auditor of the county within which the largest portion of the territory is located, who shall be designated as the lead auditor, and a copy shall be filed with the auditor of each other county within which such territory is located. Within thirty days after the date of the filing of the petition the auditor shall examine the signatures on the petition and certify to the sufficiency or insufficiency of the signatures. If this territory is located in more than one county, the auditor of each other county who receives a copy of the petition shall examine the signatures and certify to the lead auditor the number of valid signatures and the number of registered voters residing in that portion of the territory that is located within the county. The lead auditor shall certify the sufficiency or insufficiency of the signatures.
     After the county auditor has certified the sufficiency of the petition, the county legislative authority or authorities, or the boundary review board or boards, of the county or counties in which such territory is located shall consider the proposal under the same basis that a proposed incorporation of a fire protection district is considered, with the same authority to act on the proposal as in a proposed incorporation, as provided under chapter 52.02 RCW. If the proposed annexation is approved by the county legislative authority or boundary review board, the board of fire commissioners shall adopt a resolution requesting the county auditor to call a special election, as specified under RCW ((29.13.020)) 29A.04.330, at which the ballot proposition is to be submitted. No annexation shall occur when the territory proposed to be annexed is located in more than one county unless the county legislative authority or boundary review board of each county approves the proposed annexation.
     (2) The county legislative authority or authorities of the county or counties within which such territory is located have the authority and duty to determine on an equitable basis, the amount of any obligation which the territory to be annexed to the district shall assume to place the property owners of the existing district on a fair and equitable relationship with the property owners of the territory to be annexed as a result of the benefits of annexing to a district previously supported by the property owners of the existing district. If a boundary review board has had its jurisdiction invoked on the proposal and approves the proposal, the county legislative authority of the county within which such territory is located may exercise the authority granted in this subsection and require such an assumption of indebtedness. This obligation may be paid to the district in yearly benefit charge installments to be fixed by the county legislative authority. This benefit charge shall be collected with the annual tax levies against the property in the annexed territory until fully paid. The amount of the obligation and the plan of payment established by the county legislative authority shall be described in general terms in the notice of election for annexation and shall be described in the ballot proposition on the proposed annexation that is presented to the voters for their approval or rejection. Such benefit charge shall be limited to an amount not to exceed a total of fifty cents per thousand dollars of assessed valuation: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That the special election on the proposed annexation shall be held only within the boundaries of the territory proposed to be annexed to the fire protection district.
     (3) On the entry of the order of the county legislative authority incorporating the territory into the existing fire protection district, the territory shall become subject to the indebtedness, bonded or otherwise, of the existing district. If the petition is signed by sixty percent of the qualified registered electors residing within the territory proposed to be annexed, and if the board of fire commissioners concur, an election in the territory and a hearing on the petition shall be dispensed with and the county legislative authority shall enter its order incorporating the territory into the existing fire protection district.

Sec. 40   RCW 52.06.030 and 1989 c 63 s 14 are each amended to read as follows:
     The board of the merger district may, by resolution, reject or approve the petition as presented, or it may modify the terms and conditions of the proposed merger, and shall transmit the petition, together with a copy of its resolution to the merging district.
     If the petition is approved as presented or as modified, the board of the merging district shall send an elector-signed petition, if there is one, to the auditor or auditors of the county or counties in which the merging district is located, who shall within thirty days examine the signatures and certify to the sufficiency or insufficiency of the signatures. If the merging district is located in more than one county, the auditor of the county within which the largest portion of the merging district is located shall be the lead auditor. Each other auditor shall certify to the lead auditor the number of valid signatures and the number of registered voters of the merging district who reside in the county. The lead auditor shall certify as to the sufficiency or insufficiency of the signatures. No signatures may be withdrawn from the petition after the filing. A certificate of sufficiency shall be provided to the board of the merging district, which shall adopt a resolution requesting the county auditor or auditors to call a special election, as provided in RCW ((29.13.020)) 29A.04.330, for the purpose of presenting the question of merging the districts to the voters of the merging district.
     If there is no elector-signed petition, the merging district board shall adopt a resolution requesting the county auditor or auditors to call a special election in the merging district, as specified under RCW ((29.13.020)) 29A.04.330, for the purpose of presenting the question of the merger to the electors.

Sec. 41   RCW 52.14.060 and 1994 c 223 s 53 are each amended to read as follows:
     The initial three members of the board of fire commissioners shall be elected at the same election as when the ballot proposition is submitted to the voters authorizing the creation of the fire protection district. If the district is not authorized to be created, the election of the initial fire commissioners shall be null and void. If the district is authorized to be created, the initial fire commissioners shall take office immediately when qualified. Candidates shall file for each of the three separate fire commissioner positions. Elections shall be held as provided in chapter ((29.21)) 29A.52 RCW, with the county auditor opening up a special filing period as provided in RCW ((29.15.170)) 29A.24.171 and ((29.15.180)) 42.12.070, as if there were a vacancy. The person who receives the greatest number of votes for each position shall be elected to that position. The terms of office of the initial fire commissioners shall be staggered as follows: (1) The person who is elected receiving the greatest number of votes shall be elected to a six-year term of office if the election is held in an odd-numbered year or a five-year term of office if the election is held in an even-numbered year; (2) the person who is elected receiving the next greatest number of votes shall be elected to a four-year term of office if the election is held in an odd-numbered year or a three-year term of office if the election is held in an even-numbered year; and (3) the other person who is elected shall be elected to a two-year term of office if the election is held in an odd-numbered year or a one-year term of office if the election is held in an even-numbered year. The initial commissioners shall take office immediately when elected and qualified and their terms of office shall be calculated from the first day of January in the year following their election.
     The term of office of each subsequent commissioner shall be six years. Each commissioner shall serve until a successor is elected and qualified and assumes office in accordance with RCW ((29.04.170)) 29A.60.280.

Sec. 42   RCW 53.04.020 and 1992 c 147 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     At any general election or at any special election which may be called for that purpose, the county legislative authority of any county in this state may, or on petition of ten percent of the registered voters of such county based on the total vote cast in the last general county election, shall, by resolution submit to the voters of such county the proposition of creating a port district coextensive with the limits of such county. Such petition shall be filed with the county auditor, who shall within fifteen days examine the signatures thereof and certify to the sufficiency or insufficiency thereof((, and for such purpose the county auditor shall have access to all registration books in the possession of the officers of any incorporated city or town in such proposed port district)). If such petition be found to be insufficient, it shall be returned to the persons filing the same, who may amend or add names thereto for ten days, when the same shall be returned to the county auditor, who shall have an additional fifteen days to examine the same and attach his or her certificate thereto. No person having signed such petition shall be allowed to withdraw his or her name therefrom after the filing of the same with the county auditor. Whenever such petition shall be certified to as sufficient, the county auditor shall forthwith transmit the same, together with his or her certificate of sufficiency attached thereto, to the legislative authority of the county, who shall submit such proposition at the next general election or, if such petition so requests, the county legislative authority shall, at their first meeting after the date of such certificate, by resolution, call a special election to be held in accordance with RCW ((29.13.010)) 29A.04.321 and ((29.13.020)) 29A.04.330. The notice of election shall state the boundaries of the proposed port district and the object of such election. In submitting the question to the voters for their approval or rejection, the proposition shall be expressed on the ballot substantially in the following terms:
     "Port of . . . . . ., Yes." (giving the name of the principal seaport city within such proposed port district, or if there be more than one city of the same class within such district, such name as may be determined by the legislative authority of the county).
     "Port of . . . . . ., No." (giving the name of the principal seaport city within such port district, or if there be more than one city of the same class within such district, such name as may be determined by the legislative authority of the county).

Sec. 43   RCW 53.04.023 and 1997 c 256 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     A less than countywide port district with an assessed valuation of at least one hundred fifty million dollars may be created in a county that already has a less than countywide port district located within its boundaries. Except as provided in this section, such a port district shall be created in accordance with the procedure to create a countywide port district.
     The effort to create such a port district is initiated by the filing of a petition with the county auditor calling for the creation of such a port district, describing the boundaries of the proposed port district, designating either three or five commissioner positions, describing commissioner districts if the petitioners propose that the commissioners represent districts, and providing a name for the proposed port district. The petition must be signed by voters residing within the proposed port district equal in number to at least ten percent of such voters who voted at the last county general election.
     A public hearing on creation of the proposed port district shall be held by the county legislative authority if the county auditor certifies that the petition contained sufficient valid signatures. Notice of the public hearing must be published in the county's official newspaper at least ten days prior to the date of the public hearing. After taking testimony, the county legislative authority may make changes in the boundaries of the proposed port district if it finds that such changes are in the public interest and shall determine if the creation of the port district is in the public interest. No area may be added to the boundaries unless a subsequent public hearing is held on the proposed port district.
     The county legislative authority shall submit a ballot proposition authorizing the creation of the proposed port district to the voters of the proposed port district, at any special election date provided in RCW ((29.13.020)) 29A.04.321 or 29A.04.330, if it finds the creation of the port district to be in the public interest.
     The port district shall be created if a majority of the voters voting on the ballot proposition favor the creation of the port district. The initial port commissioners shall be elected at the same election, from districts or at large, as provided in the petition initiating the creation of the port district. The election shall be otherwise conducted as provided in RCW 53.12.172, but the election of commissioners shall be null and void if the port district is not created.

Sec. 44   RCW 53.04.080 and 1990 c 259 s 16 are each amended to read as follows:
     At any general election or at any special election which may be called for that purpose the county legislative authority of any county in this state in which there exists a port district which is not coextensive with the limits of the county, shall on petition of the commissioners of such port district, by resolution, submit to the voters residing within the limits of any territory which the existing port district desires to annex or include in its enlarged port district, the proposition of enlarging the limits of such existing port districts so as to include therein the whole of the territory embraced within the boundaries of such county, or such territory as may be described in the petition by legal subdivisions. Such petition shall be filed with the county auditor, who shall forthwith transmit the same to the county legislative authority, who shall submit such proposition at the next general election, or, if such petition so request, the county legislative authority, shall at their first meeting after the date of filing such petition, by resolution, call a special election to be held in accordance with RCW ((29.13.010)) 29A.04.321 and ((29.13.020)) 29A.04.330. The notice of election shall state the boundaries of the proposed enlarged port district and the object of the special election. In submitting the question to the voters of the territory proposed to be annexed or included for their approval or rejection, the proposition shall be expressed on the ballots substantially in the following terms:
     "Enlargement of the port of . . . . . ., yes." (Giving ((then [the])) the name of the port district which it is proposed to enlarge);
     "Enlargement of the port of . . . . . ., no." (Giving the name of the port district which it is proposed to enlarge).
     Such election, whether general or special, shall be held in each precinct wholly or partially embraced within the limits of the territory proposed to be annexed or included and shall be conducted and the votes cast thereat counted, canvassed, and the returns thereof made in the manner provided by law for holding general or special county elections.

Sec. 45   RCW 53.12.172 and 1994 c 223 s 85 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) In every port district the term of office of each port commissioner shall be four years in each port district that is countywide with a population of one hundred thousand or more, or either six or four years in all other port districts as provided in RCW 53.12.175, and until a successor is elected and qualified and assumes office in accordance with RCW ((29.04.170)) 29A.60.280.
     (2) The initial port commissioners shall be elected at the same election as when the ballot proposition is submitted to voters authorizing the creation of the port district. If the port district is created the persons elected at this election shall serve as the initial port commission. No primary shall be held. The person receiving the greatest number of votes for commissioner from each commissioner district shall be elected as the commissioner of that district.
     (3) The terms of office of the initial port commissioners shall be staggered as follows in a port district that is countywide with a population of one hundred thousand or more: (a) The two persons who are elected receiving the two greatest numbers of votes shall be elected to four-year terms of office if the election is held in an odd-numbered year, or three-year terms of office if the election is held in an even-numbered year, and shall hold office until successors are elected and qualified and assume office in accordance with RCW ((29.04.170)) 29A.60.280; and (b) the other person who is elected shall be elected to a two-year term of office if the election is held in an odd-numbered year, or a one-year term of office if the election is held in an even-numbered year, and shall hold office until a successor is elected and qualified and assumes office in accordance with RCW ((29.04.170)) 29A.60.280.
     (4) The terms of office of the initial port commissioners in all other port districts shall be staggered as follows: (a) The person who is elected receiving the greatest number of votes shall be elected to a six-year term of office if the election is held in an odd-numbered year or to a five-year term of office if the election is held in an even-numbered year, and shall hold office until a successor is elected and qualified and assumes office in accordance with RCW ((29.04.170)) 29A.60.280; (b) the person who is elected receiving the next greatest number of votes shall be elected to a four-year term of office if the election is held in an odd-numbered year or to a three-year term of office if the election is held in an even-numbered year, and shall hold office until a successor is elected and qualified and assumes office in accordance with RCW ((29.04.170)) 29A.60.280; and (c) the other person who is elected shall be elected to a two-year term of office if the election is held in an odd-numbered year or a one-year term of office if the election is held in an even-numbered year, and shall hold office until a successor is elected and qualified and assumes office in accordance with RCW ((29.04.170)) 29A.60.280.
     (5) The initial port commissioners shall take office immediately after being elected and qualified, but the length of their terms shall be calculated from the first day in January in the year following their elections.

Sec. 46   RCW 53.12.221 and 1992 c 146 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
     Port commissioners of countywide port districts with populations of one hundred thousand or more who are holding office as of June 11, 1992, shall retain their positions for the remainder of their terms until their successors are elected and qualified, and assume office in accordance with RCW ((29.04.170)) 29A.60.280. Their successors shall be elected to four-year terms of office except as otherwise provided in RCW 53.12.130.

Sec. 47   RCW 54.08.060 and 1994 c 223 s 55 are each amended to read as follows:
     Whenever a proposition for the formation of a public utility district is to be submitted to voters in any county, the county legislative authority may by resolution call a special election, and at the request of petitioners for the formation of such district contained in the petition shall do so and shall provide for holding the same at the earliest practicable time. If the boundaries of the proposed district embrace an area less than the entire county, such election shall be confined to the area so included. The notice of such election shall state the boundaries of the proposed district and the object of such election; in other respects, such election shall be held and called in the same manner as provided by law for the holding and calling of general elections: PROVIDED, That notice thereof shall be given for not less than ten days nor more than thirty days prior to such special election. In submitting the proposition to the voters for their approval or rejection, such proposition shall be expressed on the ballots in substantially the following terms:

     Public Utility District No. . . . . . . . . . . . . YES
     Public Utility District No. . . . . . . . . . . . . NO

     At the same special election on the proposition to form a public utility district, there shall also be an election for three public utility district commissioners. However, the election of such commissioners shall be null and void if the proposition to form the public utility district does not receive approval by a majority of the voters voting on the proposition. No primary shall be held. A special filing period shall be opened as provided in RCW ((29.15.170 and 29.15.180)) 29A.24.171. The person receiving the greatest number of votes for the commissioner of each commissioner district shall be elected as the commissioner of that district. Commissioner districts shall be established as provided in RCW 54.12.010. The terms of the initial commissioners shall be staggered as follows: (1) The person who is elected receiving the greatest number of votes shall be elected to a six-year term of office if the election is held in an even-numbered year or a five-year term if the election is held in an odd-numbered year; (2) the person who is elected receiving the next greatest number of votes shall be elected to a four-year term of office if the election is held in an even-numbered year or a three-year term of office if the election is held in an odd-numbered year; and (3) the other person who is elected shall be elected to a two-year term of office if the election is held in an even-numbered year or a one-year term of office if the election is held in an odd-numbered year. The commissioners first to be elected at such special election shall assume office immediately when they are elected and qualified, but the length of their terms of office shall be calculated from the first day in January in the year following their elections.
     The term "general election" as used herein means biennial general elections at which state and county officers in a noncharter county are elected.

Sec. 48   RCW 57.12.030 and 1996 c 230 s 403 are each amended to read as follows:
     Except as in this section otherwise provided, the term of office of each district commissioner shall be six years, such term to be computed from the first day of January following the election, and commissioners shall serve until their successors are elected and qualified and assume office in accordance with RCW ((29.04.170)) 29A.60.280.
     Three initial district commissioners shall be elected at the same election at which the proposition is submitted to the voters as to whether such district shall be formed. The election of initial district commissioners shall be null and void if the ballot proposition to form the district is not approved. Each candidate shall run for one of three separate commissioner positions. A special filing period shall be opened as provided in RCW ((29.15.170 and 29.15.180)) 29A.24.171. The person receiving the greatest number of votes for each position shall be elected to that position.
     The initial district commissioners shall assume office immediately when they are elected and qualified. Staggering of the terms of office for the initial district commissioners shall be accomplished as follows: (1) The person who is elected receiving the greatest number of votes shall be elected to a six-year term of office if the election is held in an odd-numbered year or a five-year term of office if the election is held in an even-numbered year; (2) the person who is elected receiving the next greatest number of votes shall be elected to a four-year term of office if the election is held in an odd-numbered year or a three-year term of office if the election is held in an even- numbered year; and (3) the other person who is elected shall be elected to a two-year term of office if the election is held in an odd-numbered year or a one-year term of office if the election is held in an even-numbered year. The terms of office shall be calculated from the first day of January after the election.
     Thereafter, commissioners shall be elected to six-year terms of office. Commissioners shall serve until their successors are elected and qualified and assume office in accordance with RCW ((29.04.170)) 29A.60.280.

Sec. 49   RCW 57.12.039 and 2001 c 63 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Notwithstanding RCW 57.12.020 and 57.12.030, the board of commissioners may provide by majority vote that subsequent commissioners be elected from commissioner districts within the district. If the board exercises this option, it shall divide the district into three, five, or seven if the number of commissioners has been increased under RCW 57.12.015, commissioner districts of approximately equal population following current precinct and district boundaries.
     (2) Commissioner districts shall be used as follows: (a) Only a registered voter who resides in a commissioner district may be a candidate for, or serve as, a commissioner of the commissioner district; and (b) only voters of a commissioner district may vote at a primary to nominate candidates for a commissioner of the commissioner district. Voters of the entire district may vote at a general election to elect a person as a commissioner of the commissioner district. Commissioner districts shall be redrawn as provided in chapter ((29.70)) 29A.76 RCW.
     (3) In districts in which commissioners are nominated from commissioner districts, at the inception of a five-member or a seven-member board of commissioners, the new commissioner districts shall be numbered one through five or one through seven and the incumbent commissioners shall represent up to five commissioner districts depending on the amount of commissioners. If, as a result of redrawing the district boundaries two or three of the incumbent commissioners reside in one of the new commissioner districts, the commissioners who reside in the same commissioner district shall determine by lot which of the first three or five numbered commissioner districts they shall represent for the remainder of their respective terms. A primary shall be held to nominate candidates from the remaining districts where necessary and commissioners shall be elected at large at the general election. The persons elected as commissioners from the remaining commissioner districts shall take office immediately after qualification as defined under RCW ((29.01.135)) 29A.04.133.

Sec. 50   RCW 57.24.240 and 2007 c 31 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) If a resolution calling for an annexation election as provided in RCW 57.24.230 is presented for hearing, the legislative authority of each county in which the territory proposed for annexation is located shall hear the resolution or may adjourn and reconvene the hearing as deemed necessary for its purposes. The hearing, however, may not exceed four weeks in duration. Any person, firm, or corporation may appear before the legislative authority or authorities and make objections to the proposed boundary lines or to annexation of the territory described in the resolution.
     (2) Upon a final hearing, each county legislative authority may make changes to the proposed boundary lines within the county as it deems proper and shall formally establish and define the boundaries. Each legislative authority also shall find whether the proposed annexation will be conducive to the public health, welfare, and convenience and whether it will be of special benefit to the land included within the boundaries of the proposed annexation. No lands that will not, in the judgment of the legislative authority, benefit by inclusion therein, may be included within the boundaries of the territory as established and defined. The legislative authority may not include within the territory proposed for annexation any territory outside of the boundary lines described in the resolution adopted by the district under RCW 57.24.230(2).
     (3) Upon the entry of the findings of the final hearing, each county legislative authority, if it finds the proposed annexation satisfies the requirements of subsection (2) of this section, shall give notice of a special election to be held within the boundaries of the territory proposed for annexation for the purpose of determining whether the same shall be annexed to the district. The notice shall:
     (a) Describe the boundaries established by the legislative authority;
     (b) State the name of the district to which the territory is proposed to be annexed;
     (c) Be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the territory proposed for annexation at least once a week for a minimum of two successive weeks prior to the election;
     (d) Be posted for the same period in at least four public places within the boundaries of the territory proposed for annexation; and
     (e) Designate the places within the territory proposed for annexation where the election shall be held.
     (4) The proposition to the voters shall be expressed on ballots containing the words:

Sec. 51   RCW 68.52.250 and 1990 c 259 s 34 are each amended to read as follows:
     Special elections submitting propositions to the registered voters of the district may be called at any time by resolution of the cemetery commissioners in accordance with RCW ((29.13.010)) 29A.04.321 and ((29.13.020)) 29A.04.330, and shall be called, noticed, held, conducted and canvassed in the same manner and by the same officials as provided for the election to determine whether the district shall be created.

Sec. 52   RCW 70.44.047 and 1997 c 99 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:
     If, as the result of redrawing the boundaries of commissioner districts as permitted or required under the provisions of this chapter, chapter ((29.70)) 29A.76 RCW, or any other statute, more than the correct number of commissioners who are associated with commissioner districts reside in the same commissioner district, a commissioner or commissioners residing in that redrawn commissioner district equal in number to the number of commissioners in excess of the correct number shall be assigned to the drawn commissioner district or districts in which less than the correct number of commissioners associated with commissioner districts reside. The commissioner or commissioners who are so assigned shall be those with the shortest unexpired term or terms of office, but if the number of such commissioners with the same terms of office exceeds the number that are to be assigned, the board of commissioners shall select by lot from those commissioners which one or ones are assigned. A commissioner who is so assigned shall be deemed to be a resident of the commissioner district to which he or she is assigned for purposes of determining whether a position is vacant.

Sec. 53   RCW 82.14.036 and 1983 c 99 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     Any referendum petition to repeal a county or city ordinance imposing a tax or altering the rate of the tax authorized under RCW 82.14.030(2) shall be filed with a filing officer, as identified in the ordinance, within seven days of passage of the ordinance. Within ten days, the filing officer shall confer with the petitioner concerning form and style of the petition, issue an identification number for the petition, and write a ballot title for the measure. The ballot title shall be posed as a question so that an affirmative answer to the question and an affirmative vote on the measure results in the tax or tax rate increase being imposed and a negative answer to the question and a negative vote on the measure results in the tax or tax rate increase not being imposed. The petitioner shall be notified of the identification number and ballot title within this ten-day period.
     After this notification, the petitioner shall have thirty days in which to secure on petition forms the signatures of not less than fifteen percent of the registered voters of the county for county measures, or not less than fifteen percent of the registered voters of the city for city measures, and to file the signed petitions with the filing officer. Each petition form shall contain the ballot title and the full text of the measure to be referred. The filing officer shall verify the sufficiency of the signatures on the petitions. If sufficient valid signatures are properly submitted, the filing officer shall submit the referendum measure to the county or city voters at a general or special election held on one of the dates provided in RCW ((29.13.010)) 29A.04.321 or 29A.04.330 as determined by the county legislative authority or city council, which election shall not take place later than one hundred twenty days after the signed petition has been filed with the filing officer.
     After April 22, 1983, the referendum procedure provided in this section shall be the exclusive method for subjecting any county or city ordinance imposing a tax or altering the rate under RCW 82.14.030(2) to a referendum vote.
     Any county or city tax authorized under RCW 82.14.030(2) that has been imposed prior to April 22, 1983, is not subject to the referendum procedure provided for in this section.

Sec. 54   RCW 82.46.021 and 2000 c 103 s 16 are each amended to read as follows:
     Any referendum petition to repeal a county or city ordinance imposing a tax or altering the rate of the tax authorized under RCW 82.46.010(3) shall be filed with a filing officer, as identified in the ordinance, within seven days of passage of the ordinance. Within ten days, the filing officer shall confer with the petitioner concerning form and style of the petition, issue an identification number for the petition, and write a ballot title for the measure. The ballot title shall be posed as a question so that an affirmative answer to the question and an affirmative vote on the measure results in the tax or tax rate increase being imposed and a negative answer to the question and a negative vote on the measure results in the tax or tax rate increase not being imposed. The petitioner shall be notified of the identification number and ballot title within this ten-day period.
     After this notification, the petitioner shall have thirty days in which to secure on petition forms the signatures of not less than fifteen percent of the registered voters of the county for county measures, or not less than fifteen percent of the registered voters of the city for city measures, and to file the signed petitions with the filing officer. Each petition form shall contain the ballot title and the full text of the measure to be referred. The filing officer shall verify the sufficiency of the signatures on the petitions. If sufficient valid signatures are properly submitted, the filing officer shall submit the referendum measure to the county or city voters at a general or special election held on one of the dates provided in RCW ((29.13.010)) 29A.04.321 or 29A.04.330 as determined by the county legislative authority or city council, which election shall not take place later than one hundred twenty days after the signed petition has been filed with the filing officer.
     After April 22, 1983, the referendum procedure provided for in this section shall be the exclusive method for subjecting any county or city ordinance imposing a tax or increasing the rate under RCW 82.46.010(3) to a referendum vote.
     Any county or city tax authorized under RCW 82.46.010(3) that has been imposed prior to April 22, 1983, is not subject to the referendum procedure provided for in this section.

Sec. 55   RCW 82.80.090 and 1990 c 42 s 214 are each amended to read as follows:
     A referendum petition to repeal a county or city ordinance imposing a tax or fee authorized under RCW 82.80.020 and 82.80.030 must be filed with a filing officer, as identified in the ordinance, within seven days of passage of the ordinance. Within ten days, the filing officer shall confer with the petitioner concerning form and style of the petition, issue an identification number for the petition, and write a ballot title for the measure. The ballot title shall be posed as a question so that an affirmative answer to the question and an affirmative vote on the measure results in the tax or fee being imposed and a negative answer to the question and a negative vote on the measure results in the tax or fee not being imposed. The petitioner shall be notified of the identification number and ballot title within this ten-day period.
     After this notification, the petitioner has thirty days in which to secure on petition forms the signatures of not less than fifteen percent of the registered voters of the county for county measures, or not less than fifteen percent of the registered voters of the city for city measures, and to file the signed petitions with the filing officer. Each petition form must contain the ballot title and the full text of the measure to be referred. The filing officer shall verify the sufficiency of the signatures on the petitions. If sufficient valid signatures are properly submitted, the filing officer shall submit the referendum measure to the county or city voters at a general or special election held on one of the dates provided in RCW ((29.13.010)) 29A.04.321 or 29A.04.330 as determined by the county or city legislative authority, which election shall not take place later than one hundred twenty days after the signed petition has been filed with the filing officer.
     The referendum procedure provided in this section is the exclusive method for subjecting any county or city ordinance imposing a tax or fee under RCW 82.80.020 and 82.80.030 to a referendum vote.

Sec. 56   RCW 85.38.060 and 1991 c 349 s 10 are each amended to read as follows:
     The county legislative authority or authorities shall cause an election on the question of creating the special district to be held if findings as provided in RCW 85.38.050 are made. The county legislative authority or authorities shall designate a time and date for such election, which shall be one of the special election dates provided for in RCW ((29.13.020, together with the site or sites at which votes may be cast)) 29A.04.321 or 29A.04.330. The persons allowed to vote on the creation of a special district shall be those persons who, if the special district were created, would be qualified voters of the special district as described in RCW 85.38.010. The county auditor or auditors of the counties within which the proposed special district is located shall conduct the election and prepare a list of presumed eligible voters.
     Notices for the election shall be published as provided in RCW 85.38.040. The special district shall be created if the proposition to create the special district is approved by a simple majority vote of the voters voting on the proposition and the special district may assume operations whenever the initial members of the governing body are appointed as provided in RCW 85.38.070.
     Any special district created after July 28, 1985, may only have special assessments measured and imposed, and budgets adopted, as provided in RCW 85.38.140 through 85.38.170.
     If the special district is created, the county or counties may charge the special district for the costs incurred by the county engineer or engineers pursuant to RCW 85.38.030 and the costs of the auditor or auditors related to the election to authorize the creation of the special district pursuant to this section. Such county actions shall be deemed to be special benefits of the property located within the special district that are paid through the imposition of special assessments.

Sec. 57   RCW 85.38.070 and 1991 c 349 s 11 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Except as provided in RCW 85.38.090, each special district shall be governed by a three-member governing body. The term of office for each member of a special district governing body shall be six years and until his or her successor is elected and qualified. One member of the governing body shall be elected at the time of special district general elections in each even-numbered year for a term of six years beginning as soon as the election returns have been certified for assumption of office by elected officials of cities.
     (2) The terms of office of members of the governing bodies of special districts, who are holding office on July 28, 1985, shall be altered to provide staggered six-year terms as provided in this subsection. The member who on July 28, 1985, has the longest term remaining shall have his or her term altered so that the position will be filled at the February 1992, special district general election; the member with the second longest term remaining shall have his or her term altered so that the position will be filled at the December, 1989, special district general election; and the member with the third longest term of office shall have his or her term altered so that the position will be filled at the December, 1987, special district general election.
     (3) The initial members of the governing body of a newly created special district shall be appointed by the legislative authority of the county within which the special district, or the largest portion of the special district, is located. These initial governing body members shall serve until their successors are elected and qualified at the next special district general election held at least ninety days after the special district is established. At that election the first elected members of the governing body shall be elected. No primary elections may be held. Any voter of a special district may become a candidate for such a position by filing written notice of this intention with the county auditor at least thirty, but not more than sixty, days before a special district general election. The county auditor in consultation with the special district shall establish the filing period. The names of all candidates for such positions shall be listed alphabetically. At this first election, the candidate receiving the greatest number of votes shall have a six-year term, the candidate receiving the second greatest number of votes shall have a four-year term, and the candidate receiving the third greatest number of votes shall have a two-year term of office. The initially elected members of a governing body shall take office immediately when qualified as defined in RCW ((29.01.135)) 29A.04.133. Thereafter the candidate receiving the greatest number of votes shall be elected for a six-year term of office. Members of a governing body shall hold their office until their successors are elected and qualified, and assume office as soon as the election returns have been certified.
     (4) The requirements for the filing period and method for filing declarations of candidacy for the governing body of the district and the arrangement of candidate names on the ballot for all special district elections conducted after the initial election in the district shall be the same as the requirements for the initial election in the district. No primary elections may be held for the governing body of a special district.
     (5) Whenever a vacancy occurs in the governing body of a special district, the legislative authority of the county within which the special district, or the largest portion of the special district, is located, shall appoint a district voter to serve until a person is elected, at the next special district general election occurring sixty or more days after the vacancy has occurred, to serve the remainder of the unexpired term. The person so elected shall take office immediately when qualified as defined in RCW ((29.01.135)) 29A.04.133.
     If an election for the position which became vacant would otherwise have been held at this special district election, only one election shall be held and the person elected to fill the succeeding term for that position shall take office immediately when qualified as defined in RCW ((29.01.135)) 29A.04.133 and shall serve both the remainder of the unexpired term and the succeeding term. A vacancy occurs upon the death, resignation, or incapacity of a governing body member or whenever the governing body member ceases being a qualified voter of the special district.
     (6) An elected or appointed member of a special district governing body, or a candidate for a special district governing body, must be a qualified voter of the special district: PROVIDED, That the state, its agencies and political subdivisions, or their designees under RCW 85.38.010(3) shall not be eligible for election or appointment.

Sec. 58   RCW 87.03.083 and 1979 ex.s. c 185 s 15 are each amended to read as follows:
     Every member of an irrigation district board of directors is subject to recall and discharge by the legal voters of such district pursuant to the provisions of chapter ((29.82)) 29A.56 RCW.

Sec. 59   RCW 52.26.080 and 2011 c 141 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The board shall adopt rules for the conduct of business. The board shall adopt bylaws to govern authority affairs, which may include:
     (a) The time and place of regular meetings;
     (b) Rules for calling special meetings;
     (c) The method of keeping records of proceedings and official acts;
     (d) Procedures for the safekeeping and disbursement of funds; and
     (e) Any other provisions the board finds necessary to include.
     (2) The governing board shall be determined by the plan. However, only elected officials of participating fire protection jurisdictions and elected commissioners of the authority as provided in subsection (3) of this section are eligible to serve on the board.
     (3)(a) A regional fire protection service authority plan may create one or more regional fire protection service authority commissioner positions to serve on a governing board. The following provisions define the qualifications, compensation, terms, and responsibilities of regional fire protection service authority commissioner positions:
     (i) RCW 52.14.010 governs the compensation, qualifications, and ability to serve as a volunteer firefighter; and
     (ii) ((RCW 52.14.030 governs the polling places for elections; and
     (iii))) RCW 52.14.050 governs commissioner vacancies.
     (b) The terms of office for regional fire protection service authority commissioner positions may be established by the plan, however, no single term may exceed six years and the terms of multiple positions must be staggered.
     (c) Regional fire protection service authority commissioners shall take an oath of office in the manner specified by RCW 52.14.070.
     (4)(a) A regional fire protection service authority plan may create commissioner districts. If commissioner districts are created, the population of each commissioner district must be approximately equal. Commissioner districts must be redrawn as provided in chapter 29A.76 RCW.
     (b) Commissioner districts shall be used as follows: (i) Only a registered voter who resides in a commissioner district may be a candidate for, or serve as, a commissioner of the commissioner district; and (ii) only voters of a commissioner district may vote at a primary to nominate candidates for a commissioner of the commissioner district. All voters of the proposed authority must be eligible to vote at a general election to elect a commissioner of the commissioner district. If a plan includes elected officials from participating fire protection jurisdictions, the commissioner districts may be based, in part, on the jurisdictional boundaries of the participating jurisdictions.

Sec. 60   RCW 29A.04.321 and 2013 c 11 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) All state, county, city, town, and district general elections for the election of federal, state, legislative, judicial, county, city, town, and district officers, and for the submission to the voters of the state, county, city, town, or district of any measure for their adoption and approval or rejection, shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November, in the year in which they may be called. A statewide general election shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November of each year. However, the statewide general election held in odd-numbered years shall be limited to (a) city, town, and district general elections as provided for in RCW 29A.04.330, or as otherwise provided by law; (b) the election of federal officers for the remainder of any unexpired terms in the membership of either branch of the Congress of the United States; (c) the election of state and county officers for the remainder of any unexpired terms of offices created by or whose duties are described in Article II, section 15, Article III, sections 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, and 23, and Article IV, sections 3 and 5 of the state Constitution and RCW 2.06.080; (d) the election of county officers in any county governed by a charter containing provisions calling for general county elections at this time; and (e) the approval or rejection of state measures, including proposed constitutional amendments, matters pertaining to any proposed constitutional convention, initiative measures and referendum measures proposed by the electorate, referendum bills, and any other matter provided by the legislature for submission to the electorate.
     (2) A county legislative authority may call a special county election by presenting a resolution to the county auditor prior to the proposed election date. A special election called by the county legislative authority shall be held on one of the following dates as decided by such governing body:
     (a) The second Tuesday in February;
     (b) The fourth Tuesday in April;
     (c) The day of the primary as specified by RCW 29A.04.311; or
     (d) The first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.
     (3) A resolution calling for a special election on a date set forth in subsection (2)(a) and (b) of this section must be presented to the county auditor at least forty-six days prior to the election date. A resolution calling for a special election on a date set forth in subsection (2)(c) of this section must be presented to the county auditor no later than the Friday immediately before the first day of regular candidate filing. A resolution calling for a special election on a date set forth in subsection (2)(d) of this section must be presented to the county auditor no later than the day of the primary.
     (4) In addition to the dates set forth in subsection (2)(a) through (d) of this section, a special election to validate an excess levy or bond issue may be called at any time to meet the needs resulting from fire, flood, earthquake, or other act of God. Such county special election shall be noticed and conducted in the manner provided by law.
     (5) This section shall supersede the provisions of any and all other statutes, whether general or special in nature, having different dates and deadlines for such state, county, city, town, and district elections, the purpose of this section being to establish mandatory dates and deadlines for ((holding)) elections. This section shall not be construed as fixing the time for holding primary elections, or elections for the recall of any elective public officer.

Sec. 61   RCW 29A.04.330 and 2013 c 11 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) All city, town, and district general elections shall be held throughout the state of Washington on the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November in the odd-numbered years.
     This section shall not apply to:
     (a) Elections for the recall of any elective public officer;
     (b) Public utility districts, conservation districts, or district elections at which the ownership of property within those districts is a prerequisite to voting, all of which elections shall be held at the times prescribed in the laws specifically applicable thereto;
     (c) Consolidation proposals as provided for in RCW 28A.315.235 and nonhigh capital fund aid proposals as provided for in chapter 28A.540 RCW; and
     (d) Special flood control districts consisting of three or more counties.
     (2) The county auditor, as ex officio supervisor of elections, upon request in the form of a resolution of the governing body of a city, town, or district, presented to the auditor prior to the proposed election date, shall call a special election in such city, town, or district, and for the purpose of such special election he or she may combine, unite, or divide precincts. Such a special election shall be held on one of the following dates as decided by the governing body:
     (a) The second Tuesday in February;
     (b) The fourth Tuesday in April;
     (c) The day of the primary election as specified by RCW 29A.04.311; or
     (d) The first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.
     (3) A resolution calling for a special election on a date set forth in subsection (2)(a) and (b) of this section must be presented to the county auditor at least forty-six days prior to the election date. A resolution calling for a special election on a date set forth in subsection (2)(c) of this section must be presented to the county auditor no later than the Friday immediately before the first day of regular candidate filing. A resolution calling for a special election on a date set forth in subsection (2)(d) of this section must be presented to the county auditor no later than the day of the primary.
     (4) In addition to subsection (2)(a) through (d) of this section, a special election to validate an excess levy or bond issue may be called at any time to meet the needs resulting from fire, flood, earthquake, or other act of God, except that no special election may be held between the first day for candidates to file for public office and the last day to certify the returns of the general election other than as provided in subsection (2)(c) and (d) of this section. Such special election shall be conducted and notice thereof given in the manner provided by law.
     (5) This section shall supersede the provisions of any and all other statutes, whether general or special in nature, having different dates and deadlines for such city, town, and district elections, the purpose of this section being to establish mandatory dates for ((holding)) elections.

Sec. 62   RCW 29A.08.161 and 2004 c 271 s 107 are each amended to read as follows:
     No record may be created or maintained by a state or local governmental agency or a political organization that identifies a voter with the information marked on the voter's ballot((, including the choice that a voter makes on a partisan primary ballot regarding political party affiliation)).

Sec. 63   RCW 29A.08.210 and 2009 c 369 s 16 are each amended to read as follows:
     An applicant for voter registration shall complete an application providing the following information concerning his or her qualifications as a voter in this state:
     (1) The former address of the applicant if previously registered to vote;
     (2) The applicant's full name;
     (3) The applicant's date of birth;
     (4) The address of the applicant's residence for voting purposes;
     (5) The mailing address of the applicant if that address is not the same as the address in subsection (4) of this section;
     (6) The sex of the applicant;
     (7) The applicant's Washington state driver's license number, Washington state identification card number, or the last four digits of the applicant's social security number if he or she does not have a Washington state driver's license or Washington state identification card;
     (8) A check box allowing the applicant to indicate that he or she is a member of the armed forces, national guard, or reserves, or that he or she is an overseas voter;
     (9) A check box allowing the applicant to confirm that he or she is at least eighteen years of age or will be eighteen years of age by the next election;
     (10) Clear and conspicuous language, designed to draw the applicant's attention, stating that the applicant must be a United States citizen in order to register to vote;
     (11) A check box and declaration confirming that the applicant is a citizen of the United States;
     (12) The following warning:
     "If you knowingly provide false information on this voter registration form or knowingly make a false declaration about your qualifications for voter registration you will have committed a class C felony that is punishable by imprisonment for up to five years, a fine of up to ten thousand dollars, or both."
     (13) The ((oath)) declaration required by RCW 29A.08.230 and a space for the applicant's signature; and
     (14) Any other information that the secretary of state determines is necessary to establish the identity of the applicant and prevent duplicate or fraudulent voter registrations.
     This information shall be recorded on a single registration form to be prescribed by the secretary of state.

Sec. 64   RCW 29A.08.230 and 2013 c 11 s 14 are each amended to read as follows:
     For all voter registrations, the registrant shall sign the following ((oath)) declaration:

     "I declare that the facts on this voter registration form are true. I am a citizen of the United States, I will have lived at this address in Washington for at least thirty days immediately before the next election at which I vote, I will be at least eighteen years old when I vote, I am not disqualified from voting due to a court order, and I am not under the authority of the department of corrections ((supervision)) for a Washington felony conviction."

Sec. 65   RCW 29A.24.111 and 2006 c 206 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:
     Filing fee petitions may be rejected for the following reasons:
     (1) The petition is not in the proper form;
     (2) The petition clearly bears insufficient signatures;
     (3) The petition is not accompanied by a declaration of candidacy;
     (4) The time within which the petition and the declaration of candidacy could have been filed has expired.
     If the petition is accepted, the officer with whom it is filed shall canvass the signatures contained on it and shall reject the signatures of those persons who are not registered voters and the signatures of those persons who are not registered to vote within the jurisdiction of the office for which the filing fee petition is filed. He or she shall additionally reject any signature that appears on the filing fee petitions of two or more candidates for the same office, and ((shall also reject, each time it appears, the name)) all but the first valid signature of any person who signs the same petition more than once.
     If the officer with whom the petition is filed refuses to accept the petition or refuses to certify the petition as bearing sufficient valid signatures, the person filing the petition may appeal that action to the superior court. The application for judicial review shall take precedence over other cases and matters and shall be speedily heard and determined.

Sec. 66   RCW 29A.40.110 and 2011 c 349 s 18, 2011 c 348 s 4, and 2011 c 10 s 41 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
     (1) The opening and subsequent processing of return envelopes for any primary or election may begin upon receipt. The tabulation of ((absentee)) ballots must not commence until after 8:00 p.m. on the day of the primary or election.
     (2) All received return envelopes must be placed in secure locations from the time of delivery to the county auditor until their subsequent opening. After opening the return envelopes, the county canvassing board shall place all of the ballots in secure storage until processing. Ballots may be taken from the inner envelopes and all the normal procedural steps may be performed to prepare these ballots for tabulation.
     (3) The canvassing board, or its designated representatives, shall examine the postmark on the return envelope and signature on the declaration before processing the ballot. The ballot must either be received no later than 8:00 p.m. on the day of the primary or election, or must be postmarked no later than the day of the primary or election. All personnel assigned to verify signatures must receive training on statewide standards for signature verification. Personnel shall verify that the voter's signature on the ballot declaration is the same as the signature of that voter in the registration files of the county. Verification may be conducted by an automated verification system approved by the secretary of state. A variation between the signature of the voter on the ballot declaration and the signature of that voter in the registration files due to the substitution of initials or the use of common nicknames is permitted so long as the surname and handwriting are clearly the same.
     (4) If the postmark is missing or illegible, the date on the ballot declaration to which the voter has attested determines the validity, as to the time of voting, for that ballot. For overseas voters and service voters, the date on the declaration to which the voter has attested determines the validity, as to the time of voting, for that ballot. Any overseas voter or service voter may return the signed declaration and voted ballot by fax or e-mail by 8:00 p.m. on the day of the primary or election, and the county auditor must use established procedures to maintain the secrecy of the ballot.

Sec. 67   RCW 29A.60.221 and 2004 c 271 s 176 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) If ((the requisite number of any federal, state, county, city, or district offices have not been nominated in a primary by reason of)) two or more ((persons having)) candidates in the same race in a primary receive an equal and requisite number of votes for ((being placed on)) qualifying for the general election ballot, the official empowered by state law to certify candidates for the general election ballot shall give notice to the ((several persons so having the equal and requisite number of votes to attend at the appropriate office at the time designated by that official, who shall then and there proceed)) candidates of the time and place where the official shall publicly ((to)) decide by lot which of those persons will be declared ((nominated and placed on)) qualified for the general election ballot.
     (2) If ((the requisite number of any federal, state, county, city, district, or precinct officers have not been elected by reason of)) two or more ((persons having)) candidates in the same race in the general election receive an equal and highest number of votes ((for one and the same office)), the official empowered by state law to issue the original certificate of election shall give notice to the ((several persons so having the highest and equal number of votes to attend at the appropriate office at the time to be appointed by that official, who shall then and there proceed)) candidates of the time and place where the official shall publicly ((to)) decide by lot which of those persons will be declared duly elected, and the official shall make out and deliver to the person thus duly declared elected a certificate of election.

Sec. 68   RCW 35.21.005 and 2008 c 196 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     Wherever in this title petitions are required to be signed and filed, the following rules shall govern the sufficiency thereof:
     (1) A petition may include any page or group of pages containing an identical text or prayer intended by the circulators, signers or sponsors to be presented and considered as one petition and containing the following essential elements when applicable, except that the elements referred to in (d) and (e) of this subsection are essential for petitions referring or initiating legislative matters to the voters, but are directory as to other petitions:
     (a) The text or prayer of the petition which shall be a concise statement of the action or relief sought by petitioners and shall include a reference to the applicable state statute or city ordinance, if any;
     (b) If the petition initiates or refers an ordinance, a true copy thereof;
     (c) If the petition seeks the annexation, incorporation, withdrawal, or reduction of an area for any purpose, an accurate legal description of the area proposed for such action and if practical, a map of the area;
     (d) Numbered lines for signatures with space provided beside each signature for the name and address of the signer and the date of signing;
     (e) The warning statement prescribed in subsection (2) of this section.
     (2) Petitions shall be printed or typed on single sheets of white paper of good quality and each sheet of petition paper having a space thereon for signatures shall contain the text or prayer of the petition and the following warning:

Every person who signs this petition with any other than his or her true name, or who knowingly signs more than one of these petitions, or signs a petition seeking an election when he or she is not a legal voter, or signs a petition when he or she is otherwise not qualified to sign, or who makes herein any false statement, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

Sec. 69   RCW 35.22.120 and 1965 c 7 s 35.22.120 are each amended to read as follows:
     On petition of a number (equal to fifteen percent of the total number of votes cast at the last preceding general state election) of qualified voters of any municipality having adopted a charter under the laws of this state, asking the adoption of a specified charter amendment, providing for any matter within the realm of local affairs, or municipal business, the said amendment shall be submitted to the voters at the next regular municipal election((, occurring thirty days or more after said petition is filed)) according to RCW 29A.04.330, and if approved by a majority of the local electors of the municipality voting upon it, such amendment shall become a part of the charter organic law governing such municipality.

Sec. 70   RCW 35A.01.040 and 2008 c 196 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     Wherever in this title petitions are required to be signed and filed, the following rules shall govern the sufficiency thereof:
     (1) A petition may include any page or group of pages containing an identical text or prayer intended by the circulators, signers or sponsors to be presented and considered as one petition and containing the following essential elements when applicable, except that the elements referred to in (d) and (e) of this subsection are essential for petitions referring or initiating legislative matters to the voters, but are directory as to other petitions:
     (a) The text or prayer of the petition which shall be a concise statement of the action or relief sought by petitioners and shall include a reference to the applicable state statute or city ordinance, if any;
     (b) If the petition initiates or refers an ordinance, a true copy thereof;
     (c) If the petition seeks the annexation, incorporation, withdrawal, or reduction of an area for any purpose, an accurate legal description of the area proposed for such action and if practical, a map of the area;
     (d) Numbered lines for signatures with space provided beside each signature for the name and address of the signer and the date of signing;
     (e) The warning statement prescribed in subsection (2) of this section.
     (2) Petitions shall be printed or typed on single sheets of white paper of good quality and each sheet of petition paper having a space thereon for signatures shall contain the text or prayer of the petition and the following warning:

Every person who signs this petition with any other than his or her true name, or who knowingly signs more than one of these petitions, or signs a petition seeking an election when he or she is not a legal voter, or signs a petition when he or she is otherwise not qualified to sign, or who makes herein any false statement, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

Sec. 71   RCW 53.12.175 and 2013 c 160 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     A ballot proposition to reduce the terms of office of port commissioners from six years to four years shall be submitted to the voters of any port district that otherwise would have commissioners with six-year terms of office upon either resolution of the port commissioners or petition of voters of the port district proposing the reduction in terms of office, which petition has been signed by voters of the port district equal in number to at least ten percent of the number of voters in the port district voting at the last general election. The petition shall be submitted to the county auditor. If the petition was signed by sufficient valid signatures, the ballot proposition shall be submitted at the next general election ((that occurs sixty or more days after the adoption of the resolution or submission of the petition)) according to RCW 29A.04.330.
     If the ballot proposition reducing the terms of office of port commissioners is approved by a simple majority vote of the voters voting on the proposition, the commissioner or commissioners who are elected at that election shall be elected to four-year terms of office. The terms of office of the other commissioners shall not be reduced, but each successor shall be elected to a four-year term of office.

Sec. 72   RCW 29A.08.107 and 2009 c 369 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) If the driver's license number, state identification card number, or last four digits of the social security number provided by the applicant match the information maintained by the Washington department of licensing or the social security administration, and the applicant provided all information required by RCW 29A.08.010, the applicant must be registered to vote.
     (2) If the driver's license number, state identification card number, or last four digits of the social security number provided by the applicant do not match the information maintained by the Washington department of licensing or the social security administration, or if the applicant does not provide a Washington driver's license, a Washington state identification card, or a social security number, the applicant must be provisionally registered to vote. An identification notice must be sent to the voter to obtain the correct driver's license number, state identification card number, last four digits of the social security number, or one of the following forms of alternate identification:
     (a) Valid photo identification;
     (b) A valid enrollment card of a federally recognized Indian tribe in Washington state;
     (c) A copy of a current utility bill;
     (d) A current bank statement;
     (e) A copy of a current government check;
     (f) A copy of a current paycheck; or
     (g) A government document, other than a voter registration card, that shows both the name and address of the voter.
     (3) The ballot of a provisionally registered voter may not be counted until the voter provides a driver's license number, a state identification card number, or the last four digits of a social security number that matches the information maintained by the Washington department of licensing or the social security administration, or until the voter provides alternate identification. The identification must be provided no later than the day before certification of the primary or election. If the voter provides one of the forms of identification in subsection (2) of this section, the voter's registration status must be changed from provisionally registered to registered.
     (4) A provisional registration must remain on the official list of registered voters through at least two general elections for federal office. If, after two general elections for federal office, the voter still has not verified his or her identity, the provisional registration may be canceled.
     (5) The requirements of this section do not apply to an overseas or service voter ((who registers to vote by signing the return envelope of an absentee ballot)), or to a registered voter transferring his or her registration.

Sec. 73   RCW 53.12.010 and 2002 c 51 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The powers of the port district shall be exercised through a port commission consisting of three or, when permitted by this title, five members. Every port district that is not coextensive with a county having a population of five hundred thousand or more shall be divided into the same number of commissioner districts as there are commissioner positions, each having approximately equal population, unless provided otherwise under subsection (2) of this section. Where a port district with three commissioner positions is coextensive with the boundaries of a county that has a population of less than five hundred thousand and the county has three county legislative authority districts, the port commissioner districts shall be the county legislative authority districts. In other instances where a port district is divided into commissioner districts, the port commission shall divide the port district into commissioner districts unless the commissioner districts have been described pursuant to RCW 53.04.031. The commissioner districts shall be altered as provided in chapter 53.16 RCW.
     Commissioner districts shall be used as follows: (a) Only a registered voter who resides in a commissioner district may be a candidate for, or hold office as, a commissioner of the commissioner district; and (b) only the voters of a commissioner district may vote at a primary to nominate candidates for a commissioner of the commissioner district. Voters of the entire port district may vote at a general election to elect a person as a commissioner of the commissioner district.
     (2)(a) In port districts with five commissioners, two of the commissioner districts may include the entire port district if approved by the voters of the district either at the time of formation or at a subsequent port district election at which the issue is proposed pursuant to a resolution adopted by the board of commissioners and delivered to the county auditor.
     (b) In a port district with five commissioners, where two of the commissioner districts include the entire port district, the port district may be divided into five commissioner districts if proposed pursuant to a resolution adopted by the board of commissioners or pursuant to a petition by the voters and approved by the voters of the district at the next general or special election ((occurring sixty or more days)) after the ((adoption of the)) resolution or petition is submitted, consistent with RCW 29A.04.330. A petition proposing such an increase must be submitted to the county auditor of the county in which the port district is located and signed by voters of the port district at least equal in number to ten percent of the number of voters in the port district who voted at the last general election.
     Upon approval by the voters, the commissioner district boundaries shall be redrawn into five districts within one hundred twenty days and submitted to the county auditor pursuant to RCW 53.16.015. The new commissioner districts shall be numbered one through five and the three incumbent commissioners representing the three former districts shall represent commissioner districts one through three. The two at large incumbent commissioners shall represent commissioner districts four and five. If, as a result of redrawing the district boundaries more than one of the incumbent commissioners resides in one of the new commissioner districts, the commissioners who reside in the same commissioner district shall determine by lot which of the numbered commissioner districts they shall represent for the remainder of their respective terms.

Sec. 74   RCW 53.12.021 and 1994 c 223 s 82 are each amended to read as follows:
     Any less than countywide port district that uses commissioner districts may cease using commissioner districts as provided in this section.
     A ballot proposition authorizing the elimination of commissioner districts shall be submitted to the voters of a less than countywide port district that is divided into commissioner districts if (1) a petition is submitted to the port commission proposing that the port district cease using commissioner districts, that is signed by registered voters of the port district equal in number to at least ten percent of the number of voters who voted at the last district general election; or (2) the port commissioners adopt a resolution proposing that the port district cease using commissioner districts. The port commission shall transfer the petition or resolution immediately to the county auditor who shall, when a petition is submitted, review the signatures and certify its sufficiency. A ballot proposition authorizing the elimination of commissioner districts shall be submitted at the next district general election ((occurring sixty or more days)) after a petition with sufficient signatures ((was)) or a resolution is submitted, consistent with RCW 29A.04.330. If the ballot proposition authorizing the port district to cease using commissioner districts is approved by a simple majority vote, the port district shall cease using commissioner districts at all subsequent elections.

Sec. 75   RCW 53.12.115 and 1994 c 223 s 86 are each amended to read as follows:
     A ballot proposition shall be submitted to the voters of any port district authorizing an increase in the number of port commissioners to five whenever the port commission adopts a resolution proposing the increase in number of port commissioners or a petition proposing such an increase has been submitted to the county auditor of the county in which the port district is located that has been signed by voters of the port district at least equal in number to ten percent of the number of voters in the port district who voted at the last general election. The ballot proposition shall be submitted at the next general or special election ((occurring sixty or more days)) after the petition ((was submitted)) or resolution ((was adopted)) is submitted, consistent with RCW 29A.04.330.
     At the next general or special election following the election in which an increase in the number of port commissioners was authorized, candidates for the two additional port commissioner positions shall be elected as provided in RCW 53.12.130, and the voters may be asked to approve the nomination of commissioners from district-wide commissioner districts as permitted in RCW 53.12.010(2).

Sec. 76   RCW 53.12.130 and 1994 c 223 s 88 are each amended to read as follows:
     Two additional port commissioners shall be elected at the next district general election following the election at which voters authorized the increase in port commissioners to five members.
     The port commissioners shall divide the port district into five commissioner districts ((prior to the first day of June)) in the year in which the two additional commissioners shall be elected, consistent with chapter 29A.16 RCW and chapter 29A.76 RCW, unless the voters approved the nomination of the two additional commissioners from district-wide commissioner districts as permitted in RCW 53.12.010(2). The new commissioner districts shall be numbered one through five and the three incumbent commissioners shall represent commissioner districts one through three. If, as a result of redrawing the district boundaries two or three of the incumbent commissioners reside in one of the new commissioner districts, the commissioners who reside in the same commissioner district shall determine by lot which of the first three numbered commissioner districts they shall represent for the remainder of their respective terms. A primary shall be held to nominate candidates from districts four and five where necessary and commissioners shall be elected from commissioner districts four and five at the general election. The persons elected as commissioners from commissioner districts four and five shall take office immediately after qualification as defined under RCW ((29.01.135)) 29A.04.133.
     In a port district where commissioners are elected to four-year terms of office, the additional commissioner thus elected receiving the highest number of votes shall be elected to a four-year term of office and the other additional commissioner thus elected shall be elected to a term of office of two years, if the election is held in an odd-numbered year, or the additional commissioner thus elected receiving the highest number of votes shall be elected to a term of office of three years and the other shall be elected to a term of office of one year, if the election is held in an even-numbered year. In a port district where the commissioners are elected to six-year terms of office, the additional commissioner thus elected receiving the highest number of votes shall be elected to a six-year term of office and the other additional commissioner shall be elected to a four-year term of office, if the election is held in an odd-numbered year, or the additional commissioner receiving the highest number of votes shall be elected to a term of office of five-years and the other shall be elected to a three-year term of office, if the election is held in an even-numbered year. The length of terms of office shall be computed from the first day of January in the year following this election.
     Successor commissioners from districts four and five shall be elected to terms of either six or four years, depending on the length of terms of office to which commissioners of that port district are elected.

Sec. 77   RCW 53.16.015 and 1994 c 223 s 90 are each amended to read as follows:
     The port commission of a port district that uses commissioner districts may redraw the commissioner district boundaries as provided in ((chapter 29.70)) RCW 29A.76.010 at any time and submit the redrawn boundaries to the county auditor if the port district is not coterminous with a county that has the same number of county legislative authority districts as the port has port commissioners. The new commissioner districts shall be used at the next election at which a port commissioner is regularly elected ((that occurs at least one hundred eighty days after the redrawn boundaries have been submitted)), consistent with RCW 29A.16.040. Each commissioner district shall encompass as nearly as possible the same population.

Sec. 78   RCW 29A.08.810 and 2011 c 10 s 20 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Registration of a person as a voter is presumptive evidence of his or her right to vote. A challenge to the person's right to vote must be based on personal knowledge of one of the following:
     (a) The challenged voter has been convicted of a felony and the voter's ((civil rights have)) right to vote has not been restored;
     (b) The challenged voter has been judicially declared ineligible to vote due to mental incompetency;
     (c) The challenged voter does not live at the residential address provided, in which case the challenger must either:
     (i) Provide the challenged voter's actual residence on the challenge form; or
     (ii) Submit evidence that he or she exercised due diligence to verify that the challenged voter does not reside at the address provided and to attempt to contact the challenged voter to learn the challenged voter's actual residence, including that the challenger personally:
     (A) Sent a letter with return service requested to the challenged voter's residential address provided, and to the challenged voter's mailing address, if provided;
     (B) Visited the residential address provided and contacted persons at the address to determine whether the voter resides at the address and, if not, obtained and submitted with the challenge form a signed affidavit subject to the penalties of perjury from a person who owns or manages property, resides, or is employed at the address provided, that to his or her personal knowledge the challenged voter does not reside at the address as provided on the voter registration;
     (C) Searched local telephone directories, including online directories, to determine whether the voter maintains a telephone listing at any address in the county;
     (D) Searched county auditor property records to determine whether the challenged voter owns any property in the county; and
     (E) Searched the statewide voter registration database to determine if the voter is registered at any other address in the state;
     (d) The challenged voter will not be eighteen years of age by the next election; or
     (e) The challenged voter is not a citizen of the United States.
     (2) A person's right to vote may be challenged by another registered voter or the county prosecuting attorney.
     (3) The challenger must file a signed affidavit subject to the penalties of perjury swearing that, to his or her personal knowledge and belief, having exercised due diligence to personally verify the evidence presented, the challenged voter either is not qualified to vote or does not reside at the address given on his or her voter registration record based on one of the reasons allowed in subsection (1) of this section. The challenger must provide the factual basis for the challenge, including any information required by subsection (1)(c) of this section, in the signed affidavit. The challenge may not be based on unsupported allegations or allegations by anonymous third parties. All documents pertaining to the challenge are public records.
     (4) Challenges based on a felony conviction under RCW 29A.08.520 must be heard according to RCW 29A.08.520 and rules adopted by the secretary of state.

Sec. 79   RCW 29A.68.020 and 2013 c 11 s 72 are each amended to read as follows:
     Any of the following causes may be asserted by a registered voter to challenge the right to assume office of a candidate declared elected to that office:
     (1) For misconduct on the part of any election officer involved therein;
     (2) Because the person whose right is being contested was not, at the time the person was declared elected, eligible to that office;
     (3) Because the person whose right is being contested was, previous to the election, convicted of a felony by a court of competent jurisdiction, the conviction not having been reversed nor the person's ((civil rights)) right to vote restored after the conviction;
     (4) Because the person whose right is being contested gave a bribe or reward to a voter or to an election officer for the purpose of procuring the election, or offered to do so;
     (5) On account of illegal votes.
     (a) Illegal votes include but are not limited to the following:
     (i) More than one vote cast by a single voter;
     (ii) A vote cast by a person disqualified under Article VI, section 3 of the state Constitution.
     (b) Illegal votes do not include votes cast by improperly registered voters who were not properly challenged under RCW 29A.08.810 and 29A.08.820.
     All election contests must proceed under RCW 29A.68.011.

Sec. 80   RCW 2.06.010 and 1969 ex.s. c 221 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     There is hereby established a court of appeals as a court of record. For the purpose of RCW 2.06.010 through 2.06.100 the following terms shall have the following meanings:
     (1) "Rules" means rules of the supreme court.
     (2) "Chief justice" means chief justice of the supreme court.
     (3) "Court" means court of appeals.
     (4) "Judge" means judge of the court of appeals.
     (5) "Division" means a division of the court of appeals.
     (6) "District" means a geographic subdivision of a division from which judges of the court of appeals are elected.
     (((7) "General election" means the biennial election at which members of the house of representatives are elected.))

Sec. 81   RCW 29A.60.280 and 2003 c 111 s 504 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The legislature finds that certain laws are in conflict governing the assumption of office of various local officials. The purpose of this section is to provide a common date for the assumption of office for all the elected officials of counties, cities, towns, and special purpose districts ((other than school districts)) where the ownership of property is not a prerequisite of voting. ((A person elected to the office of school director begins his or her term of office at the first official meeting of the board of directors after certification of the election results.)) It is also the purpose of this section to remove these conflicts and delete old statutory language concerning such elections which is no longer necessary.
     (2) A person elected to the office of school director begins his or her term of office at the first official meeting of the board of directors after certification of the election results.
     (3) For elective offices of counties, cities, towns, and special purpose districts ((other than school districts)) where the ownership of property is not a prerequisite of voting, the term of incumbents ends and the term of successors begins after the successor is elected and qualified, and the term commences immediately after December 31st following the election, except as follows:
     (a) Where the term of office varies from this standard according to statute; and
     (b) If the election results have not been certified prior to January 1st after the election, in which event the time of commencement for the new term occurs when the successor becomes qualified in accordance with RCW 29A.04.133.
     (((3))) (4) For elective offices governed by this section, the oath of office must be taken as the last step of qualification as defined in RCW 29A.04.133 but may be taken either:
     (a) Up to ten days prior to the scheduled date of assuming office; or
     (b) At the last regular meeting of the governing body of the applicable county, city, town, or special district held before the winner is to assume office.

Sec. 82   RCW 35.17.260 and 1996 c 286 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:
     Ordinances may be initiated by petition of registered voters of the city filed with the commission. If the petition accompanying the proposed ordinance is signed by the registered voters in the city equal in number to twenty-five percent of the votes cast for all candidates for mayor at the last preceding city election, and if it contains a request that, unless passed by the commission, the ordinance be submitted to a vote of the registered voters of the city, the commission shall either:
     (1) Pass the proposed ordinance without alteration within twenty days after the county auditor's certificate of sufficiency has been received by the commission; or
     (2) Immediately after the county auditor's certificate of sufficiency for the petition is received, cause to be called a special election to be held on the next election date, as provided in RCW ((29.13.020, that occurs not less than forty-five days thereafter)) 29A.04.330, for submission of the proposed ordinance without alteration, to a vote of the people, unless a general election will occur within ninety days, in which event submission must be made on the general election ballot.

Sec. 83   RCW 35.17.380 and 1965 c 7 s 35.17.380 are each amended to read as follows:
     Upon petition of electors in any city equal in number to twenty-five percent of the votes cast for all candidates for mayor at the last preceding city election therein, the mayor by proclamation shall cause to be submitted the question of organizing the city under the commission form of government at ((a)) the next special election ((at a time specified therein and within sixty days after the filing of the petition)) as provided in RCW 29A.04.330. If the plan is not adopted at the special election called, it shall not be resubmitted to the voters of the city for adoption within two years thereafter.

Sec. 84   RCW 35.17.400 and 1994 c 223 s 11 are each amended to read as follows:
     The first election of commissioners shall be held at the next special election that occurs ((at least sixty days)) after the election results are certified where the proposition to organize under the commission form was approved by city voters, and the commission first elected shall commence to serve as soon as they have been elected and have qualified and shall continue to serve until their successors have been elected and qualified and have assumed office in accordance with RCW ((29.04.170)) 29A.60.280. The date of the second election for commissioners shall be in accordance with RCW ((29.13.020)) 29A.04.330 such that the term of the first commissioners will be as near as possible to, but not in excess of, four years calculated from the first day in January in the year after the year in which the first commissioners were elected.

Sec. 85   RCW 35.18.240 and 1965 c 7 s 35.18.240 are each amended to read as follows:
     Petitions to reorganize a city or town on the council-manager plan must be signed by registered voters resident therein equal in number to at least twenty percent of the votes cast for all candidates for mayor at the last preceding municipal election. In addition to the signature and residence addresses of the petitioners thereon, a petition must contain an affidavit stating the number of signers thereon at the time the affidavit is made.
     Petitions containing the required number of signatures shall be accepted by the city or town clerk as prima facie valid until their invalidity has been proved.
     A variation on such petitions between the signatures on the petition and that on the voter's permanent registration caused by the substitution of initials instead of the first or middle names or both shall not invalidate the signature on the petition if the surname and handwriting are the same. ((Signatures, including the original, of any voter who has signed such petitions two or more times shall be stricken.)) If a person signs a petition more than once, all but the first valid signature must be rejected.

Sec. 86   RCW 35.22.055 and 1974 ex.s. c 1 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     Notwithstanding any other provision of law, whenever the population of a city is three hundred thousand persons or more, not less than ten days before the time for filing declarations of candidacy for election of freeholders under Article XI, section 10 (Amendment 40), of the state Constitution, the ((city clerk)) county auditor shall designate the positions to be filled by consecutive number, commencing with one. The positions to be designated shall be dealt with as separate offices for all election purposes, and each candidate shall file for one, but only one, of the positions so designated.
     ((In the printing of ballots, the positions of the names of candidates for each numbered position shall be changed as many times as there are candidates for the numbered positions, following insofar as applicable the procedure provided for in RCW 29.30.040 for the rotation of names on primary ballots, the intention being that ballots at the polls will reflect as closely as practicable the rotation procedure as provided for therein.))

Sec. 87   RCW 36.32.070 and 2003 c 238 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     Whenever there is a vacancy in the board of county commissioners, except as provided in RCW 36.32.0558, it shall be filled as follows:
     (1) If there are three vacancies, the governor of the state shall appoint two of the officers. The two commissioners thus appointed shall then meet and select the third commissioner. If the two appointed commissioners fail to agree upon selection of the third after the expiration of ((five)) sixty days from the day they were appointed, the governor shall appoint the remaining commissioner.
     (2) Whenever there are two vacancies in the office of county commissioner, the governor shall appoint one commissioner, and the two commissioners then in office shall appoint the third commissioner. If they fail to agree upon a selection after the expiration of ((five)) sixty days from the day of the governor's appointment, the governor shall appoint the third commissioner.
     (3) Whenever there is one vacancy in the office of county commissioner, the two remaining commissioners shall fill the vacancy. If the two commissioners fail to agree upon a selection after the expiration of ((five)) sixty days from the day the vacancy occurred, the governor shall appoint the third commissioner.
     (4) Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of county commissioner after the general election in a year that the position appears on the ballot and before the start of the next term, the term of the successor who is of the same party as the incumbent may commence once he or she has qualified as defined in RCW ((29.01.135)) 29A.04.133 and shall continue through the term for which he or she was elected.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 88   The following acts or parts of acts are each repealed:
     (1) RCW 28A.343.330 (Ballots -- Form) and 1969 ex.s. c 223 s 28A.57.316;
     (2) RCW 52.14.030 (Polling places) and 1994 c 223 s 51, 1984 c 230 s 31, & 1939 c 34 s 24; and
     (3) 2013 c 11 s 45.