2675 AMH TAYL WAYV 152

HB 2675 - H AMD 964

By Representative Taylor

    On page 25, after line 3, insert the following:

    "Sec. 27.  RCW 87.03.045 and 2013 c 23 s 484 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) In districts with two hundred thousand acres or more, a person eighteen years old, being a citizen of the United States and a resident of the state and who holds title or evidence of title to land in the district or proposed district shall be entitled to vote therein. He or she shall be entitled to one vote for the first ten acres of said land or fraction thereof and one additional vote for all of said land over ten acres.

(2) A majority of the directors shall be residents of the county or counties in which the district is situated and all shall be electors of the district. If more than one elector residing outside the county or counties is voted for as director, only that one who receives the highest number of votes shall be considered in ascertaining the result of the election.

(3) Where land is community property both the husband and wife may vote if otherwise qualified.

(4) An agent of a corporation owning land in the district, duly authorized in writing, may vote on behalf of the corporation by filing with the election officers his or her instrument of authority. However, at least thirty days before an election, a corporation voting in the district must notify the county auditor of the duly authorized agent of the corporation who will be voting on behalf of the corporation.

(5)  An elector resident in the district shall vote in the precinct in which he or she resides, all others shall vote in the precinct nearest their residence.

Sec. 28.  RCW 87.03.051 and 1997 c 354 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) In districts with less than two hundred thousand acres, a person eighteen years old, being a citizen of the United States and a resident of the state and who holds title or evidence of title to assessable land in the district or proposed district shall be entitled to vote therein, and to be recognized as an elector.

(2) A corporation, general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, or other legal entity formed pursuant to the laws of the state of Washington or qualified to do business in the state of Washington owning land in the district shall be recognized as an elector.

(3) As used in this section, "entity" means a corporation, general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, or other legal entity formed pursuant to the laws of the state of Washington or qualified to do business in the state of Washington. "Ownership" shall mean the aggregate of all assessable acres owned by an elector, individually or jointly, within one district.

(4) Voting rights shall be allocated as follows: Two votes for each five acres of assessable land or fraction thereof. No one ownership may accumulate more than forty-nine percent of the votes in one district. If assessments are on the basis of shares instead of acres, an elector shall be entitled to two votes for each five shares or fraction thereof. The ballots cast for each ownership of land or shares shall be exercised by common agreement between electors or when land is held as community property, the accumulated votes may be divided equally between husband and wife. Except for community property ownership, in the absence of the submission of the common agreement to the secretary of the district at least twenty-four hours before the opening of the polls, the election board shall recognize the first elector to appear on election day as the elector having the authority to cast the ballots for that parcel of land for which there is more than one ownership interest.

(5) A majority of the directors shall be residents of the county or counties in which the district is situated and all shall be electors of the district. If more than one elector residing outside the county or counties is voted for as director, only that one who receives the highest number of votes shall be considered in ascertaining the result of the election.

(6) An agent of an entity owning land in the district, duly authorized in writing, may vote on behalf of the entity by filing with the election officers his or her instrument of authority. However, at least thirty days before an election, an entity voting in the district must notify the county auditor of the duly authorized agent of the entity who will be voting on behalf of the entity.

(7) An elector resident in the district shall vote in the precinct in which he or she resides, all others shall vote in the precinct nearest their residence.

(8) No director shall be qualified to take or retain office unless the director holds title or evidence of title to land within the district."

Renumber the remaining section consecutively and correct any internal references accordingly. Correct the title.

EFFECT:   Requires corporations voting in an irrigation district election to notify the county auditor at least 30 days prior to an election as to the authorized agent who will be voting on behalf of the corporation.

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