AN ACT Relating to city or town name changes; amending RCW 35.62.050; adding a new section to chapter 35.62 RCW; and repealing RCW 35.62.020, 35.62.030, and 35.62.040.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 35.62 RCW to read as follows:

When a petition that is sufficient under the rules set forth in RCW 35A.01.040 is filed with the legislative body of a city or town, signed by qualified electors of such city or town in number equal to not less than ten percent of the votes cast at the last general municipal election, seeking to change the name of the city or town, the city or town clerk shall file with the legislative body within fifteen days a certificate of sufficiency of such petition. For any city or town newly incorporated since the last general municipal election, the petition must be signed by qualified electors of such city or town in number equal to not less than ten percent of the votes cast at the incorporation election.

Upon the filing of a certificate of sufficiency by the city or town clerk, the legislative body shall cause such proposal to be submitted to the voters at the next state-wide general election if one is to be held not less than ninety nor more than one hundred eighty days after the filing of such certificate, or otherwise at a special election under RCW 29.13.020 to be held not less than ninety days nor more than one hundred eighty days after the filing of such certificate. Ballot titles for such election shall be prepared by the city or town attorney using the procedure provided in RCW 35A.29.120.

If a certificate of sufficiency is filed, nominations for a new name may thereafter, for a forty-five day period, be made by filing with the city or town clerk a nominating petition therefor signed by qualified electors of such city or town in number equal to not less than five percent of the votes cast at the last general municipal election, or for a newly incorporated city, five percent of the votes cast at the incorporation election.

The question on changing the name of the city or town and the nominated names shall be placed upon the ballot in substantially the following form:

VOTE ON PARTS A AND B OF THIS ISSUE EVEN IF

YOU VOTE "NO" ON A

A. Shall the name of the city (or town) of @be!sc ,005(insert!sc ,1name)!sc ,005@ee be changed?

!ix!tn4!tj1!tlYes !tr¨

!tj1!tlNo !tr¨

!te!ix@bv

B. Proposed names for the city (or town) of @be!sc ,005(insert!sc ,1name)!sc ,005@ee. Vote for one.

!ix!tn4!tl@be!sc ,003(insert proposed name)!sc ,003@ee !tj2!tr¨

!tl@be!sc ,003(insert proposed name)!sc ,003@ee !tj2!tr¨

!te!ix@bv

Sec. 2. Section 35.62.050, chapter 7, Laws of 1965 and RCW 35.62.050 are each amended to read as follows:

At the election at which new names for a city or town are voted upon, the name receiving the highest number of votes shall become the name of the city or town ((~~at the time when the officers elected at that election begin their terms~~)) forty-five days after the election is certified: PROVIDED, That if no name receives forty percent or more of the votes cast upon the proposition the two names receiving the highest votes shall again be submitted at the next ((~~succeeding municipal~~)) state-wide general election if one is to be held not less than ninety nor more than one hundred eighty days after the election results have been certified, or otherwise at a special election to be held for that purpose not less than ninety days nor more than one hundred eighty days after the election results have been certified in the same manner and with the same effect.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The following acts or parts of acts are each repealed:

(1) Section 35.62.020, chapter 7, Laws of 1965 and RCW 35.62.020;

(2) Section 35.62.030, chapter 7, Laws of 1965 and RCW 35.62.030; and

(3) Section 35.62.040, chapter 7, Laws of 1965 and RCW 35.62.040.