S-0300.1 _______________________________________________
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 8202
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State of Washington 57th Legislature 2001 Regular Session
By Senators McCaslin, Rossi and T. Sheldon
Read first time 01/08/2001. Referred to Committee on Judiciary.
BE IT RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, IN LEGISLATIVE SESSION ASSEMBLED:
THAT, At the next general election to be held in this state the secretary of state shall submit to the qualified voters of the state for their approval and ratification, or rejection, an amendment to Article IV, section 3 of the Constitution of the state of Washington to read as follows:
Article IV, section 3. ((The judges)) A
justice of the supreme court shall be elected by the qualified electors of
((the state at large)) a supreme court judicial district at the
general state election at the times and places at which state officers are
elected, unless some other time be provided by the legislature. ((The first
election of judges of the supreme court shall be at the election which shall be
held upon the adoption of this Constitution and the judges elected thereat
shall be classified by lot, so that two shall hold their office for the term of
three years, two for the term of five years, and one for the term of seven
years. The lot shall be drawn by the judges who shall for that purpose
assemble at the seat of government, and they shall cause the result thereof to
be certified to the secretary of state, and filed in his office.)) Each
justice of the supreme court must be a resident of the supreme court judicial
district for which he or she is elected or appointed for not less than one year
at the time of election or appointment. There shall be nine supreme court
judicial districts in the state. One justice shall be elected from each
supreme court judicial district. The supreme court judicial districts shall be
coextensive with the congressional districts if there are nine congressional
districts. The redistricting commission shall provide for nine supreme court
judicial districts if there are other than nine congressional districts. Each
supreme court judicial position shall be assigned by lot to a judicial district
by the secretary of state as provided by statute.
The
supreme court shall select a chief justice from its own membership to serve for
a four-year term at the pleasure of a majority of the court as prescribed by
supreme court rule. The chief justice shall preside at all sessions of the
supreme court. In case of the absence of the chief justice, the majority of
the remaining court shall select one of their members to serve as acting chief
justice. After the first election the terms of judges elected shall be six
years from and after the second Monday in January next succeeding their
election. If a vacancy occurs in the office of ((a judge)) justice
of the supreme court the governor shall ((only)) appoint a person ((to
ensure the number of judges as specified by the legislature,)) from the
supreme court judicial district where the vacancy occurred to hold the
office until the election and qualification of a ((judge)) justice
to fill the vacancy, which election shall take place at the next succeeding
general election, and the ((judge)) justice so elected shall hold
the office for the remainder of the unexpired term. ((The term of office of
the judges of the supreme court, first elected, shall commence as soon as the
state shall have been admitted into the Union, and continue for the term herein
provided, and until their successors are elected and qualified.))
The sessions of the supreme court shall be held at the seat of government until otherwise provided by law.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the secretary of state shall cause notice of this constitutional amendment to be published at least four times during the four weeks next preceding the election in every legal newspaper in the state.
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