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Bill

SSB 1013

A bill for an act requiring primary elections for the nomination of candidates for city, school district, and merged area elections, and including applicability provisions.

2025-2026 Regular Session

Requires primary elections to nominate candidates in city, school district, and merged area races, standardizing nominations and shaping turnout and campaign strategy.

Subcommittee: Westrich, Driscoll, and Knox.
#ballots #candidates #cityclerks #citygovernment #communitycolleges #electionsandpolitics #nominations #primaryelections #schoolboards #schooldistricts #schools #voting
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Bill Summary · SSB 1013

Summary of SSB 1013

Overview

SSB 1013 is a proposed bill introduced January 14, 2025, that would require primary elections for the nomination of candidates in city, school district, and merged area elections, and would include related applicability provisions. The bill has been assigned to a subcommittee (Westrich, Driscoll, and Knox) in the Local Government committee.

What the bill would do

  • Require primary elections for nominations. The bill establishes that nominations for candidates in city elections, school district elections, and merged area elections would be conducted via primary elections, rather than relying solely on a general election nomination process. This aims to determine party or poll-leading nominees ahead of the general or special election, as applicable.

  • Nomination petition deadlines. The bill specifies that nomination petitions must be filed not less than 25 days before the date set for the election. This is a change to the timing of petition filings intended to formalize the nomination process and provide a clear timeline for candidates and election officials.

  • Vacancy and special elections (school boards). The bill adds a process for filling vacancies:

    • If a vacancy occurs more than 180 days before the next regular school election, or after the filing period closes for the next regular school election, there can be a petition requesting a special election to fill the vacancy.
    • An appointment to fill the vacancy would be temporary until a successor is elected and qualified.
    • The school board would be required to call a special election to fill the remaining balance of the unexpired term, per the specified sections.

  • Administrative duties. The bill clarifies duties to ensure elections are conducted properly:

    • The county election commissioner would be responsible for conducting primary, general, city, school, and special elections in accordance with applicable state law.
    • The board would have the duty to ensure that elections are carried out consistent with those laws.

Who would be affected

  • Voters in cities, school districts, and merged areas.
  • Candidates seeking nomination in these jurisdictions.
  • City clerks and school boards, particularly those involved in nomination and vacancy processes.
  • County election officials responsible for administering elections.

Timelines and status

  • Introduced: January 14, 2025.
  • Assigned to Local Government committee; subcommittee: Westrich, Driscoll, Knox.
  • The bill’s text references specific procedural provisions (e.g., nomination petition timing, vacancy special elections) and includes applicability provisions.

Potential impact

  • Standardizes and formalizes nominations through primary elections.
  • Could affect campaign strategy, turnout dynamics, and election costs (primaries vs. traditional nomination processes).
  • Provides a clearer framework for filling vacancies on school boards with timely special elections.
  • Increases the role of the county election authority in coordinating various election types.

Note: Some sections of the official text are presented in abbreviated form in the provided excerpt. The summary reflects the key provisions explicitly identified in the bill text.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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