The Washington House (Committee on State Government) holds a hearing on January 23, 1:30 p.m., on HB 1534. This bill improves ballot access for minor parties. Current Washington state law requires separate candidate petitions for each nominee of an unqualified party. This bill would set up a procedure whereby a party qualifies itself with a petition. If it gets enough valid signatures, then it is entitled to nominate by convention, with no more petitioning.

The bill does not change number of signatures for statewide office; it would remain 1,000. For a party that only wants to nominate a candidate for U.S. House, the bill improves the number. Current law requires 1,000 signatures for U.S. House; the bill lowers that to 250.

Minor party activists only had two days notice for this hearing, and there is some fear that only Ruth Bennett of the Libertarian Party will be able to attend and testify in favor of the bill.