S-1778.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 6118

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2001 Regular Session

By Senator Roach

Read first time 02/23/2001.  Referred to Committee on State & Local Government.

Electing precinct committee officers at the primary.

    AN ACT Relating to election of precinct committee officers; and amending RCW 29.04.020, 29.15.120, 29.30.060, 29.36.030, 29.42.040, 29.42.050, and 29.81.220.

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

    Sec. 1.  RCW 29.04.020 and 1987 c 295 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

    The county auditor of each county shall be ex officio the supervisor of all primaries and elections, general or special, and it shall be the county auditor's duty to provide places for holding such primaries and elections; to appoint the precinct election officers; to provide for their compensation; to provide ballot boxes and ballots or voting machines, poll books, or precinct lists of registered voters, and tally sheets, and deliver them to the precinct election officers at the polling places; to publish and post notices of calling such primaries and elections in the manner provided by law:  PROVIDED, That notice of a ((general election)) primary held in an even-numbered year shall indicate that the office of precinct committee officer will be on the ballot; and to apportion to each city, town, or district, its share of the expense of such primaries and elections:  PROVIDED, That this section shall not apply to general or special elections for any city, town, or district which is not subject to RCW 29.13.010 and 29.13.020, but all such elections shall be held and conducted at the time, in the manner, and by the officials (with such notice, requirements for filing for office, and certifications by local officers) as provided and required by the laws governing such elections.

    Sec. 2.  RCW 29.15.120 and 1994 c 223 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:

    A candidate may withdraw his or her declaration of candidacy at any time before the close of business on the Thursday following the last day for candidates to file under RCW 29.15.020 by filing, with the officer with whom the declaration of candidacy was filed, a signed request that his or her name not be printed on the ballot.  There shall be no withdrawal period for declarations of candidacy filed during special filing periods held under this title.  The filing officer may permit the withdrawal of a filing for the office of precinct committee officer at the request of the candidate at any time if no absentee ballots have been issued for that office and the ((general election)) primary ballots for that precinct have not been printed.  The filing officer may permit the withdrawal of a filing for any elected office of a city, town, or special district at the request of the candidate at any time before a primary if the primary ballots for that city, town, or special district have not been ordered.  No filing fee may be refunded to any candidate who withdraws under this section.  Notice of the deadline for withdrawal of candidacy and that the filing fee is not refundable shall be given to each candidate at the time he or she files.

    Sec. 3.  RCW 29.30.060 and 1991 c 363 s 33 are each amended to read as follows:

    Except in each county with a population of one million or more, on or before the fifteenth day before a primary or election, the county auditor shall prepare a sample ballot which shall be made readily available to members of the public.  The secretary of state shall adopt rules governing the preparation of sample ballots in counties with a population of one million or more.  The rules shall permit, among other alternatives, the preparation of more than one sample ballot by a county with a population of one million or more for a primary or election, each of which lists a portion of the offices and issues to be voted on in that county.  The position of precinct committee officer shall be shown on the sample ballot for the ((general election)) primary, but the names of candidates for the individual positions need not be shown.

    Sec. 4.  RCW 29.36.030 and 1991 c 81 s 31 are each amended to read as follows:

    If the information contained in a request for an absentee ballot received by the county auditor is complete and correct and the applicant is qualified to vote under federal or state law, the county auditor shall issue an absentee ballot for the primary or election for which the absentee ballot was requested.  Otherwise, the county auditor shall notify the applicant of the reason or reasons why the request cannot be accepted.

    At each ((general election)) primary in an even-numbered year, each absentee voter shall also be given a separate ballot containing the names of the candidates ((that)) who have filed for the office of precinct committee officer unless fewer than two candidates have filed for the same political party in the absentee voter's precinct.  The ballot shall provide space for writing in the name of additional candidates.

    When mailing an absentee ballot to a registered voter temporarily outside the state or to an out-of-state voter, overseas voter, or service voter, the county auditor shall send a copy of the state voters' and candidates' pamphlet with the absentee ballot.  The county auditor shall mail all absentee ballots and related material to voters outside the territorial limits of the United States and the District of Columbia under 39 U.S.C. 3406.

    Sec. 5.  RCW 29.42.040 and 1990 c 59 s 104 are each amended to read as follows:

    Any member of a major political party who is a registered voter in the precinct may upon payment of a fee of one dollar file his or her declaration of candidacy as prescribed under RCW 29.15.010 with the county auditor for the office of precinct committee officer of his or her party in that precinct.  When elected the precinct committee officer shall serve so long as the committee officer remains an eligible voter in that precinct and until a successor has been elected at the next ensuing state ((general election)) primary in the even-numbered year.

    Sec. 6.  RCW 29.42.050 and 1991 c 363 s 34 are each amended to read as follows:

    The statutory requirements for filing as a candidate at the primaries shall apply to candidates for precinct committee officer except that the filing period for this office alone shall be extended to and include the Friday immediately following the last day for political parties to fill vacancies in the ticket as provided by RCW 29.18.150, and ((the office shall not be voted upon at the primaries, but)) the names of all candidates must appear under the proper party and office designations on the ballot for the ((general November election)) state primary for each even-numbered year and the one receiving the highest number of votes shall be declared elected:  PROVIDED, That to be declared elected, a candidate must receive at least ten percent of the number of votes cast for the candidate of the candidate's party receiving the greatest number of votes in the precinct.  Any person elected to the office of precinct committee officer who has not filed a declaration of candidacy shall pay the fee of one dollar to the county auditor for a certificate of election.  The term of office of precinct committee officer shall be for two years, commencing upon completion of the official canvass of votes by the county canvassing board of ((election)) primary returns.  Should any vacancy occur in this office by reason of death, resignation, or disqualification of the incumbent, or because of failure to elect, the respective county chair of the county central committee shall be empowered to fill such vacancy by appointment:  PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That in legislative districts having a majority of its precincts in a county with a population of one million or more, such appointment shall be made only upon the recommendation of the legislative district chair:  PROVIDED, That the person so appointed shall have the same qualifications as candidates when filing for election to such office for such precinct:  PROVIDED FURTHER, That when a vacancy in the office of precinct committee officer exists because of failure to elect at a state ((general election)) primary, such vacancy shall not be filled until after the organization meeting of the county central committee and the new county chair selected as provided by RCW 29.42.030.

    Sec. 7.  RCW 29.81.220 and 1999 c 260 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

    The voters' pamphlet must contain:

    (1) Information about each ballot measure initiated by or referred to the voters for their approval or rejection as required by RCW 29.81.250;

    (2) In even-numbered years, statements, if submitted, advocating the candidacies of nominees for the office of president and vice-president of the United States, United States senator, United States representative, governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, state auditor, attorney general, commissioner of public lands, superintendent of public instruction, insurance commissioner, state senator, state representative, justice of the supreme court, judge of the court of appeals, or judge of the superior court.  Candidates may also submit a campaign mailing address and telephone number and a photograph not more than five years old and of a size and quality that the secretary of state determines to be suitable for reproduction in the voters' pamphlet;

    (3) In odd-numbered years, if any office voted upon statewide appears on the ballot due to a vacancy, then statements and photographs for candidates for any vacant office listed in subsection (2) of this section must appear;

    (4) In even-numbered years, a section explaining how voters may participate in the election campaign process; the address and telephone number of the public disclosure commission established under RCW 42.17.350; and a summary of the disclosure requirements that apply when contributions are made to candidates and political committees;

    (5) In even-numbered years the name, address, and telephone number of each political party with nominees listed in the pamphlet, if filed with the secretary of state by the state committee of a major political party or the presiding officer of the convention of a minor political party;

    (6) In each odd-numbered year immediately before a year in which a president of the United States is to be nominated and elected, information explaining the precinct caucus and convention process used by each major political party to elect delegates to its national presidential candidate nominating convention.  The pamphlet must also provide a description of the statutory procedures by which minor political parties are formed and the statutory methods used by the parties to nominate candidates for president;

    (7) ((In even-numbered years, a description of the office of precinct committee officer and its duties;

    (8))) An application form for an absentee ballot;

    (((9))) (8) A brief statement explaining the deletion and addition of language for proposed measures under RCW 29.81.260;

    (((10))) (9) Any additional information pertaining to elections as may be required by law or in the judgment of the secretary of state is deemed informative to the voters.

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