BILL REQ. #:  H-1492.2 

Read first time 02/26/2003.   Referred to Committee on State Government.

     AN ACT Relating to precinct committee officers; and amending RCW 29.42.040 and 29.42.050.

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

Sec. 1   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 or an adjacent 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 in the even-numbered year.

Sec. 2   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)). One precinct committee officer position will be designated by number for each five hundred active registered voters and one additionally designated by position number for every major portion of five hundred active registered voters in a precinct. For the purpose of determining the number of precinct committee officer positions allocated to each precinct, the county auditor shall use the number of active registered voters resident in the precinct as of thirty days before the first day for candidates to file a declaration of candidacy for public office in even-numbered years. The office shall not be voted upon at the primaries, but the names of all candidates must appear under the proper party, position number, and office designations on the ballot for the general November election for each even-numbered year, and the one receiving the highest number of votes in each designated position shall be declared elected: PROVIDED, That to be declared elected, a candidate must receive at least ((ten)) two 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 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, 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.