HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SSB 6368

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                      State Government

Title:  An act relating to filing declarations and withdrawals of candidacy.

Brief Description:  Permitting earlier filing of declarations of candidacy.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Government Operations (originally sponsored by Senators Haugen and Winsley).

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

State Government, February 23, 1994, DP.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 9 members:  Representatives Anderson, Chair; Veloria, Vice Chair; Reams, Ranking Minority Member; L. Thomas, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Campbell; Conway; Dyer; King and Pruitt.

Staff:  Kenneth Hirst (786-7105).

Background:  The normal period for filing for elective office begins on the fourth Monday in July and ends on the following Friday.

Summary of Bill:  The normal period for filing for elective office is now one week earlier.  It begins on the third Monday in July and ends on the following Friday.

Fiscal Note:  Requested February 18, 1994.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  New programs have increased the workload of county elections offices during their busiest part of the year.  "Motor voter" provides a large number of new registrants during this period and faxing ballots is sometimes required.  Meanwhile, the federal government is pressuring election offices to provide overseas voters with absentee ballots earlier in the election, and local residents desire a local voters' pamphlet for primaries.  This bill will give the auditor a little more time to attend to these issues.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Sam Reed, County Auditors' Association (in favor).