AN ACT Relating to the timing of state elections; and amending RCW 29A.04.311, 29A.24.050, and 29A.56.020.

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

Sec. 1.  RCW 29A.04.311 and 2011 c 349 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

Primaries for general elections to be held in November, and the election of precinct committee officers, must be held on the ((first)) third Tuesday of the preceding ((August)) May.

Sec. 2.  RCW 29A.24.050 and 2011 c 349 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:

Except where otherwise provided by this title, declarations of candidacy for the following offices shall be filed during regular business hours with the filing officer beginning the first Monday ((two weeks before Memorial day)) in March and ending the following Friday in the year in which the office is scheduled to be voted upon:

(1) Offices that are scheduled to be voted upon for full terms or both full terms and short terms at, or in conjunction with, a state general election; and

(2) Offices where a vacancy, other than a short term, exists that has not been filled by election and for which an election to fill the vacancy is required in conjunction with the next state general election.

This section supersedes all other statutes that provide for a different filing period for these offices.

Sec. 3.  RCW 29A.56.020 and 2003 c 111 s 1402 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) On the ((fourth)) third Tuesday in May of each year in which a president of the United States is to be nominated and elected, a presidential primary shall be held at which voters may vote for the nominee of a major political party for the office of president. The secretary of state may propose an alternative date for the primary no later than the first day of August of the year before the year in which a president is to be nominated and elected.

(2) No later than the first day of September of the year before the year in which a presidential nominee is selected, the state committee of any major political party that will use the primary results for candidates of that party may propose an alternative date for that primary.

(3) If an alternative date is proposed under subsection (1) or (2) of this section, a committee consisting of the chair and the vice chair of the state committee of each major political party, the secretary of state, the majority leader and minority leader of the senate, and the speaker and the minority leader of the house of representatives shall meet and, if affirmed by a two-thirds vote of the members of the committee, the date of the primary shall be changed. The committee shall meet and decide on the proposed alternate date not later than the first day of October of the year before the year in which a presidential nominee is selected. The secretary of state shall convene and preside over the meeting of the committee. A committee member other than a legislator may appoint, in writing, a designee to serve on his or her behalf. A legislator who is a member of the committee may appoint, in writing, another legislator to serve on his or her behalf.

(4) If an alternate date is approved under this section, the secretary of state shall adopt rules under RCW 29A.04.620 to adjust the deadlines in RCW 29A.56.030 and related provisions of this chapter to correspond with the date that has been approved.

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