HCS HB 345 -- CANDIDATE ELECTION FILING

SPONSOR:  Days (Reynolds)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Elections
by a vote of 17 to 0.

This bill allows political subdivisions and special districts to
hold random drawings for ballot positions for candidates running
in nonpartisan elections.  The option to conduct these random
drawings is not available when the elections are for municipal
offices, school boards, or boards of trustees for community
college districts.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that election laws do not currently
require any one type of filing system for nonpartisan
elections.  In response, many political subdivisions and special
districts have adopted a random drawing for ballot position.
However, some jurisdictions are reluctant to conduct a random
drawing without specific statutory authority.  Therefore, this
bill would allow random drawings for ballot positions in
nonpartisan elections, just like it is currently done for state
offices and other partisan offices in primary elections.  The
bill makes the random drawing system optional, so political
subdivisions and special districts who prefer to retain their
traditional filing process can do so.

Testifying for the bill was Representative Reynolds.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Marty Romitti, Legislative Analyst

HB 345 -- Candidate Election Filing

Sponsor:  Reynolds

This bill allows political subdivisions and special districts to
hold random drawings for ballot positions for candidates running
in nonpartisan elections.  The option to conduct these random
drawings is not available when the elections are for municipal
offices, school boards, or boards of trustees for community
college districts.