Washington State

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General

Bob Ferguson

AGO 1954 NO. 328 >

The electors in a proposed hospital district may not vote on a proposition authorizing a bonded indebtedness or a levy in excess of three mill at the election at which the district is voted into existence for the first time.

AGO 1956 NO. 330 >

In the event a county clerk elected for a term expiring January 1, 1958, dies on August 29, 1956, which date is subsequent to the last day for filing for the September primary, but several candidates for the unexpired term of county clerk run as "sticker candidates", the candidates to represent the respective political parties in the general election may be nominated in the primary by stickers, provided that the specified percentage of votes is cast for them; otherwise, nomination is made by the county central committees for the respective parties.  Special notice is required in the general and primary election held to fill the unexpired term of a superior court clerk.

AGO 1956 NO. 331 >

It is mandatory that the counting board appoint two clerks.  The use of rubber stamps in voting booths should be discouraged.

AGO 1954 NO. 331 >

Where a vacancy exists by failure of any candidate to file for an office, a state or county central committee, as the case may be, may fill the vacancy by majority vote of a quorum of the whole committee.   The method of presentation to the committee may be any method provided by the committee's own rules.

AGO 1954 NO. 368 >

1. Statutes regulating the conduct of an election are mandatory when noncompliance affects result; an election is invalid when sufficient ballots not furnished and tie vote resulted.  2. Water district commissioners may be elected only at biennial general elections.

AGO 1950 NO. 385 >

Canvass of election and issuance of certificate of election are ministerial duties; thus, where territory was annexed to city of Bellingham but legislative districts were not accordingly re‑apportioned [[reapportioned]]and county auditor through honest mistake issued ballots as though re‑apportionment [[reapportionment]]had taken place, and such ballots were voted in good faith, canvass should be performed and certificate of election issued.Proper forum of trying validity of such election, or contest thereof is in the legislative house whose membership would be affected.

AGO 1950 NO. 393 >

The county commissioners by changing their district boundaries did not ipso facto effect a corresponding change in the P.U.D. commissioner district boundaries, and a candidate who before the change by the county commissioners did not reside within the P.U.D. commissioner district in question, did not become a resident thereof or eligible to hold the office therein by reason of the action by the county commissioners.

AGO 1950 NO. 399 >

A county auditor may charge a proper proportionate share of election expenses to any municipality scheduling a special election in concert with either a state primary or general election.

AGO 1950 NO. 411 >

The provisions of section 6, chapter 161, Laws of 1949 (Rem. Rev. Stat. 5166-4) relative to filing declarations of candidacy, controls and supersedes the provisions of section 5032, relative to nominative petitions for the election of directors in school districts of the first class in class A counties and counties of the first class.

AGO 1951 NO. 473 >

In establishing new precinct boundaries, County Commissioners may ignore boundaries of Port District.