SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6485

BYSenators McCaslin and Zimmerman

Revising provisions on vacancies in elective office.

Senate Committee on Governmental Operations

Senate Hearing Date(s):February 2, 1988

Majority Report:  Do pass.

      Signed by Senators McCaslin, Chairman; Zimmerman, Vice Chairman; DeJarnatt, Garrett, Halsan, Metcalf.

Senate Staff:Sam Thompson (786-7754); Eugene Green (786-7405)

                  February 2, 1988

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS, FEBRUARY 2, 1988

BACKGROUND:

Article II, section 15 of the state Constitution requires county legislative authorities to fill vacancies that occur in county partisan elective office or in state legislative office. Senate Joint Resolution 8225, a proposed amendment to Article II, section 15, would revise current vacancy-filling procedures.  For filling vacancies in multi-county legislative districts, SJR 8225 requires the Legislature to statutorily prescribe a proportional voting method that ensures that the cumulative voting weight of each county legislative authority amounts to its proportion of the total number of votes cast for the vacated position in the preceding election. 

SJR 8225 also provides that an appointee serves until the next general election as prescribed by the Legislature by statute.

SUMMARY:

In filling vacancies that occur in a multi-county legislative district, the cumulative voting weight of each county's legislative authority will amount to the percentage of its proportion of the total number of votes cast for the vacated position in the preceding election.  The individual voting weight of the members of each legislative authority is calculated by dividing the number of its participating members into the county's cumulative voting weight.  A vacancy is filled when one person receives the number of votes equal to a majority percentage of the voting populace as represented by the members of the county legislative authorities.

An appointee will serve until the next even-year general election, unless the vacancy occurs after the fourth Tuesday prior to a primary, in which case the appointee will serve for the remainder of the unexpired term.

The foregoing provisions will take effect only if SJR 8225 is approved by the Legislature and the people.  One provision that will take effect regardless of whether SJR 8225 is ratified requires the county legislative authority session or joint session at which a vacancy in the state Legislature is filled to be held within the legislative district.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      none requested

Effective Date:Sections 1, 2, 4 and 5 will take effect December 2, 1988 if SJR 8225 is ratified by the voters in the November, 1988 general election.

Senate Committee - Testified: Gary Lowe, Washington State Association of Counties