Z-1557               _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 2004

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1988 Regular Session

By Representatives Fisher, Grimm, Holland, McLean, Brough, Lewis, Taylor, Wang, Wineberry, Crane, Schoon and Winsley; by request of Secretary of State

Read first time 2/5/88 and referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

AN ACT Relating to information about the presidential nominating process; creating new sections; declaring an emergency; and providing an expiration date.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     The legislature declares that in order to effectively participate in the nomination of candidates to the office of president of the United States, the voters of this state must be adequately informed about the current laws, rules, and procedures under which these candidates will be nominated and about the times and places where all stages of the nominating process will take place.  By this act, the legislature intends to provide the broadest possible dissemination of this information on the presidential nominating process.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     (1) Before the 1988 precinct caucuses of the major political parties, the secretary of state shall publish a special edition of the voters' and candidates' pamphlet containing information summarizing and explaining the precinct caucus and convention process used by each major political party to select delegates to its national nominating convention.  The information to be provided shall include, but not be limited to (a) the dates of precinct caucuses, (b) instructions as to how to ascertain the names of current precinct committeepersons, precinct caucus chairpersons, the locations of precinct caucus meeting places, and the dates of county, district, and state conventions, (c) a description of the rules of procedure that will be used at caucuses and conventions, (d) the formulas used to allocate delegates elected at caucuses and conventions, (e) a description of the other actions that may be taken at the caucuses and conventions in addition to selecting delegates, (f) a photograph and statement for any major political party candidate who desires to participate, together with a campaign mailing address and telephone number if submitted by the candidate, and (g) information on how a person may register to vote.

          (2) The special voters' pamphlet authorized by this section shall also contain a description of the statutory procedures by which minor political parties are formed and by which minor parties nominate candidates for president of the United States.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     As soon as possible after the effective date of this act, and before the conduct of the precinct caucuses for each major political party, the secretary of state shall mail, with postage fully prepaid, one copy of the pamphlet to each individual place of residence in the state.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.     The secretary of state shall supplement publication of the voters' pamphlet authorized by section 1 of this act by notices published in newspapers throughout the state and by radio and television broadcast in the manner by which notice is given for constitutional amendments.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.     This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, the support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.  This act shall expire on July 1, 1988.