General Local Government

Allowing Second Class Cities and Towns to Pay by Check or Warrant (SB 6586/HB 3056)

These bills would simply allow second class cities and towns to pay claims by checks or warrants. SB 6586 is still in the Senate Rules Committee and HB 3056 passed the House on a 98-0 vote.

Campaign Finance Rules for City Candidates (SSB 6323, SHB 2846, SSB 6739, SSB 6221, HB 1436)

There are five bills dealing with campaign financing for cities, towns and other special purpose districts. The first three bills are in response to a small number of local government elections held recently where there were large, unreported contributions made by special interests that may have significantly influenced the outcome of the election. The last two bills propose allowing public funds for campaigns of local office.

• SSB 6323, sponsored by Sen. Regala (D-Tacoma), would require disclosure and reporting of campaign finances for city or town mayor or council offices, when campaign contributions exceed $3,500. The bill passed the Senate on a 39-3 vote.
• SHB 2846, sponsored by Rep. Miloscia (D-Federal Way), would require disclosure and reporting of campaign finances when campaign contributions exceed $5,000. This bill would apply to all campaigns, including local governments and special purpose districts. The bill is currently in the House Rules Committee.
• SSB 6739, sponsored by Sen. Deccio (R-Yakima), would require disclosure and reporting of campaign finances when individual campaign contributions exceed $700 for county, city and town offices. The bill is still in the Senate Ways and Means Committee.
• SSB 6221, sponsored by Sen. Franklin (D-Tacoma), would allow the legislative authority of a city or county to establish, through adoption of an ordinance or resolution, a program allowing the use of public funds to finance campaigns for local office. The ordinance or resolution must be submitted to a vote of the people in the form of a referendum for those jurisdictions with referendum power or in the form of an advisory ballot for those local jurisdictions without referendum power. The bill passed the Senate on a 27-22 vote.
• HB 1436, sponsored Rep. McDermott (D-Seattle), simply allows the use of public funds for campaigns for local office without any stipulations. It is currently in House Rules.

State Primary Election (ESB 6236)

Currently, the state primary election is held either the third Tuesday in September or the seventh Tuesday before the general election, whichever is earlier. This bill would move the date of the state primary election to the third Tuesday in August. A number of other election-related events and deadlines are changed to conform with the new primary date including:

• Candidate Filing - The date for filing a declaration of candidacy is changed from the fourth week in July to the first week in June. Minor party and independent candidate nominating conventions must occur between the first and second Saturdays in May. Election events are conditioned on circumstances occurring before or after the eleventh Tuesday before the primary rather than the sixth Tuesday.
• Service and Overseas Voters - County auditors must mail ballots to overseas and service voters at least 30 days before any election. Requests for ballots made after the date required for mailing must be processed immediately.
• Special Elections - Resolutions calling for a county, city, town, or district special election must be presented to the county auditor at least 52 days prior to the special election, rather than 45 days. If the special election is to be held on the day of the primary or the general election, the resolution must be filed with the auditor 84 days before the election.
• Presidential Preference Primary - In order to appear in the presidential preference primary, nomination petitions for presidential candidates must be filed with the Secretary of State no later than 60 days before the presidential preference primary, rather than 39 days before.
• Certification of Results - The date that a county canvassing board must complete the canvass and certify the results of a primary or special election is changed from 10 days to 15 days.
• Campaign Reporting - Candidates who are successful in the primary election and any continuing political committees must file a report of contributions and expenditures to the Public Disclosure Commisstion the tenth day of the first month after the primary. Contribution and expenditure reporting requirements are changed to begin on the fifth month, rather than the fourth month, prior to a general election.
• Post-session Campaign Freeze - The end of the campaign fund-raising freeze is changed from 30 days after session to the day of final adjournment.

The bill has passed the Senate on a 37-11 vote. It is scheduled for public hearing on Wednesday, February 15, 1:30 pm, before the House State Government Operations & Accountability Committee.

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