S-809                 _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 3859

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1985 Regular Session

By Senators Vognild, Zimmerman and Moore

Read first time 2/7/85 and referred to Committee on Governmental Operations.

AN ACT Relating to precinct committeemen; and amending RCW 29.42.040 and 29.42.050.

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

        Sec. 1.  Section 29.42.040, chapter 9, Laws of 1965 as amended by section 6, chapter 4, Laws of 1973 and RCW 29.42.040 are each amended to read as follows:

          Any member of a major political party who is a registered voter in the precinct may upon payment of a fee of one dollar file his declaration of candidacy with the county auditor for the office of precinct committeeman of his party in that precinct.  When elected he shall serve so long as he remains an eligible voter in that precinct and until his successor has been elected at the next ensuing state general election in the even-numbered year.  A precinct committeeman may be removed from office if a majority of those present and constituting a quorum at a legislative district committee meeting find that the precinct committeeman has failed to follow the bylaws of the legislative district committee of that party.

        Sec. 2.  Section 29.42.050, chapter 9, Laws of 1965 as last amended by section 7, chapter 4, Laws of 1973 and RCW 29.42.050 are each amended to read as follows:

          The statutory requirements for filing as a candidate at the primaries shall apply to candidates for precinct committeeman except that the filing period for this office alone shall be extended to and include the Friday immediately following the last day for political parties to fill vacancies in the ticket as provided by RCW 29.18.150, and the office shall not be voted upon at the primaries, but the names of all candidates must appear under the proper party and office designations on the ballot for the general November election for each even-numbered year and the one receiving the highest number of votes shall be declared elected:  PROVIDED, That to be declared elected, a candidate must receive at least ((ten)) five percent of the number of votes cast for the candidate of his party receiving the greatest number of votes in his precinct.  Any person elected to the office of precinct committeeman who has not filed a declaration of candidacy shall pay the fee of one dollar to the county auditor for a certificate of election.  The term of office of precinct committeeman shall be for two years, commencing upon completion of the official canvass of votes by the county canvassing board of election returns.  Should any vacancy occur in this office by reason of death, resignation, removal, or disqualification of the incumbent, or because of failure to elect, the respective county chairman of the county central committee shall be empowered to fill such vacancy by appointment:  PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That in legislative districts having a majority of its precincts in a class AA county, such appointment shall be made only upon the recommendation of the legislative district chairman:  PROVIDED, That the person so appointed shall have the same qualifications as candidates when filing for election to such office for such precinct:  PROVIDED FURTHER, That when a vacancy in the office of precinct committeeman exists because of failure to elect at a state general election, such vacancy shall not be filled until after the organization meeting of the county central committee and the new county chairman selected as provided by RCW 29.42.030.