H-0727.1 _______________________________________________
HOUSE BILL 1367
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State of Washington 53rd Legislature 1993 Regular Session
By Representatives Jones, Reams and Kessler
Read first time 01/25/93. Referred to Committee on State Government.
AN ACT Relating to mandatory election recounts; and amending RCW 29.64.015.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. RCW 29.64.015 and 1991 c 90 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) If the official canvass of all of the returns for any office at any primary or election reveals that the difference in the number of votes cast for a candidate apparently nominated or elected to any office and the number of votes cast for the closest apparently defeated opponent is not more than one-half of one percent of the total number of votes cast for both candidates, the county canvassing board shall conduct a recount of all votes cast on that position.
(a) Whenever such a difference occurs in the number of votes cast for candidates for a position which appears on the ballot in more than one county, the secretary of state shall, within three business days of the day that the returns of the primary or election are first certified by the canvassing boards of those counties, direct those boards to recount all votes cast on the position.
(b) ((Whenever)) If the total number
of votes cast for the office is sixty thousand or more and the difference
in the number of votes cast for ((such candidates is)) the candidate
apparently nominated or elected and the number cast for the closest apparently
defeated opponent is small enough to require a recount under this section, the
votes shall be recounted manually if that difference is also less than one
hundred fifty votes.
If the total number of votes cast for the
office is less than sixty thousand and the difference in the number of votes
cast for a candidate apparently nominated or elected and the number of votes
cast for the closest apparently defeated opponent is small enough to require a
recount under this section, the votes shall be recounted manually if that
difference is also: Less than ten votes or less than one-fourth of one
percent of the total number of votes cast for both candidates, ((the votes
shall be recounted manually)) whichever difference constitutes a larger
number of votes.
(2) A mandatory recount shall be conducted in the manner provided by RCW 29.64.020, 29.64.030, and 29.64.040. No cost of a mandatory recount may be charged to any candidate.
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