Concerning voter education during a period in which a jurisdiction is changing the method of selecting candidates.

 Z-0031.2

SENATE BILL 5035

State of Washington

69th Legislature

2025 Regular Session

By Senators Chapman, Hasegawa, Dhingra, and Nobles; by request of Secretary of State

Prefiled 12/13/24. Read first time 01/13/25. Referred to Committee on State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections.

AN ACT Relating to requiring voter education within jurisdictions engaged in changing the method of selecting candidates during a primary or removing a primary as the result of employing a single event election process in a general election including a new cause of action; adding new sections to chapter 29A.52 RCW; creating a new section; prescribing penalties; and providing an effective date.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that:

(1) Local jurisdictions changing the voting system used to select candidates and choosing alternative methods of candidate selection not defined in chapter 29A.52 RCW are responsible for educating all voters affected by the change and seeks to define minimum levels of voter education to be conducted in any voting jurisdiction making a change;