HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                      Olympia, Washington

Bill Analysis     Bill No.  SSB 5640

Studying primary dates and speeding counting.

Brief Title                              Hearing Date: 3/30/99

Senators Gardner and McCaslin              Staff: Steve Lundin

Sponsor(s)                          State Government Committee

                                              Phone:  786-7127

BACKGROUND:

A primary election to nominate candidates is held at the earlier of the third Tuesday in September prior to a general election or the seventh Tuesday prior to a general election.

A three-member county canvassing board in each county canvasses votes cast at each election or primary and certifies the election results.  The canvass must be completed and the results must be certified fifteen days after a general election and ten days after a special election or primary.

SUMMARY:

A temporary task force is established to make recommendations on the timing of primary elections, canvassing ballots, and certification of election results.  The task force consists of 13 members as follows:

$Five citizen members are jointly appointed by the secretary of state, president of the Senate, and co-speakers of the House of Representatives.

$The president of the Senate appoints two members of the Senate, one from each of the two largest caucuses.

$The co-speakers of the House of Representatives appoint two members of the House, one from each of the two largest caucuses.

$The Secretary of State or designee.

$    One county elections official designated by the Association of County Officials.

$A representative of each major political party in the state appointed by the chair of the Party Central Committee.

The task force must report its recommendations to the Governor, Secretary of State, and appropriate standing committees of the Senate and House of Representatives by no later than December 1, 1999.  The task force terminates on December 31, 1999.

The county auditor must convene the county canvassing board to process absentee ballots and canvass votes at least every third day after a special election, primary, or general election and before certification of the election results.  An absentee ballot that has not been canvassed must be canvassed by the canvassing board when it is convened if the absentee ballot was:

$Received by the county auditor on or before the day before the convening of the canvass[ing?] board; and

$Either was returned before the closing of the polls or bears a date of mailing on or before the election for which it was issued.

Results of the latest tabulation must be made public immediately after the completion of the canvass.

FISCAL NOTE:  Not requested.

EFFECTIVE DATE:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.