SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5465

BYSenators Tanner, Zimmerman, Warnke, Rasmussen, Bauer, Conner, Johnson, DeJarnatt, Owen and Bailey; by request of Secretary of State

Providing a state presidential preference primary.

Senate Committee on Governmental Operations

Senate Hearing Date(s):February 17, 1987

Senate Staff:Sam Thompson (786-7754); Walt Corneille (786-7452)

AS OF FEBRUARY 17, 1987

BACKGROUND:

In Presidential election years, delegates from this state to the national nominating conventions of the major political parties are selected through the caucus and convention systems of the parties.  In contrast, approximately two-thirds of the states have established Presidential primary elections.

A primary may be either open or closed.  Closed primaries limit access to a party's primary ballot to registered members of that political party.  Open primaries vary considerably from those that require a recorded pledge of support or preference for a party to "blanket" primaries which do not require party preference to be expressed or recorded.  Primaries for partisan elective offices in this state are conducted as blanket primaries.

SUMMARY:

PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY.  A Presidential preference primary will be held on the fourth Tuesday of March in each Presidential election year.  Voters may express their choice among the major political party candidates for nomination.  Each voter will receive a ballot containing the names of all designated party candidates.  A voter may vote for only one candidate on the ballot.  If required by a party's rules, a space will be included on each ballot to vote for an uncommitted delegation.

If the rules of the national committee of a major political party require that only declared party members may select delegates and alternates to its national convention, a statement to that effect and a means of acknowledging the statement will be included on the precinct list of registered voters.  Voters attesting to a declaration of membership in a particular party will be provided with a ballot containing only that party's candidates.  The votes cast by these voters shall be tabulated separately from all others.

PLACEMENT OF NAME ON BALLOT.  No declaration and affadavit of candidacy is required of Presidential primary candidates.  Instead, the name of a candidate for nomination for President will be printed on the ballot if the candidate has been designated by a party caucus of a major political party in either chamber of the state Legislature, or a state or county central committee of a major political party.

Candidate designations must be filed with the Secretary of State at least 80 days before the Presidential primary. The Secretary of State will notify each designated candidate; designees may request to be removed from the ballot by filing a notice with the Secretary of State within 30 days.  If the Secretary of State is informed of a candidate's death more than 45 days before the primary, the Secretary must remove the candidate's name from the primary ballot.

DELEGATE LISTS.  At least 10 days before the state convention of a major political party, each candidate for whom national convention delegates will be selected, may file with the Secretary of State a list of national convention delegates and alternates. Each delegate designee must sign an acceptance of the designation and a pledge to act in accordance with state law regarding the primary.  Copies of the acceptances and pledges must be filed with the Secretary of State.

A designated delegate must be 18 years old, a U.S. citizen, a Washington registered voter, a resident of the state for at least one year and qualified under party rules to attend the state party convention.

SELECTING DELEGATES.  Except where national party rules specifically provide otherwise: (1) the state conventions of the major political parties will select the allotted number of national delegates and alternates from among the lists submitted by the candidates and the persons selected by the parties as uncommitted delegates; and (2) delegates are to be selected according to the ratio of the total vote received by a candidate or uncommitted delegation to the total combined vote cast for all of the party's candidates, and uncommitted delegations, who received more than 5 percent of the votes cast. The totals may be state-wide totals or those for congressional districts, as party rules provide.

If a candidate fails to designate a sufficient number of qualified persons on the delegate list, the state convention of the candidate's party will select the additionally needed delegates and alternates as required by national party rules.

DELEGATE VOTES.  National delegates and alternates committed to a delegate must cast their votes at the national convention in accordance with the results of the state primary until:  (1) the first two ballots for the Presidential nomination have been taken; or (2) their candidate receives less than 25 percent of the votes cast on the first ballot; or (3) their candidate unqualifiedly releases them in writing.

COST BORNE BY STATE.  The state will reimburse each county for the cost of the Presidential primary.  The primary will be conducted and canvassed in the manner provided for state partisan primaries.  The Secretary of State may adopt implementing rules.

OTHER.  Statutes establishing dates and conditions for general and special elections are altered.  Special local elections are permitted on the fourth (rather than the second) Tuesday in March and on the third (rather than the first) Tuesday in April. The county auditor's discretion in calling a special election upon the request of a city, town or district legislative authority is removed.

Fiscal Note:      none requested