Rep. Orcutt removes roadblock to election timing change
Wednesday, March 1, 2006 6:31 AM PST
By Don Jenkins
Printable version
E-mail this articleOLYMPIA --- Kalama Rep. Ed Orcutt said Tuesday he will reluctantly drop his effort to save a long-standing 30-day, post-session ban on fund-raising by state lawmakers rather than risk killing a bill that will move the primary election back one month to mid-August.
"A 30-day freeze is critical for the public to have confidence that we're not tying a vote to campaign contributions," said Orcutt, a Republican. "But as much as I would like to see that continued, there are realities."
After years of resistance by reluctant incumbents, the Senate last month voted 37-11 to move the primary back four weeks to the third Tuesday in August.
Secretary of State Sam Reed, who long lobbied for the change, hailed increasing the time between the primary and November general election as a victory for the smooth conduct of elections.
In conjunction with moving up the primary, Senate Bill 6236 eliminated the monthlong post-session ban on raising money.
With the bill pending in the House, Orcutt submitted an amendment reinstating the freeze.
House Deputy Minority Leader Mike Armstrong, R-Wenatchee, said he believed Orcutt's amendment would have passed the House easily, but the Senate would not accept it.
After talking with Armstrong, Orcutt agreed to withdraw the amendment. He also made his first 2006 campaign promise.
"If re-elected, the first bill I introduce will be to put the 30-day freeze back in place," he said. "I think it maintains a certain level of public trust in the process, and I think without it, we lose that level of trust."
The House adjourned Tuesday without voting on the primary bill. It remains on a list of measures the House could take up at any time.
The post-session freeze was part of a 1992 voter-approved initiative overhauling the election system.
Lawmakers also are prohibited from raising money during and 30 days before a legislative session.
Some incumbents complain the freeze gives challengers an edge, though a challenger rarely raises more money than an incumbent.
Under SB 6236, the new primary date would take effect in 2007.
free spirit wrote on Feb 7, 2008 1:19 AM:
Past Month's Most Commented Stories