Oemig bill to clean up judicial races to be heard

OLYMPIA – The Senate Government Operations & Elections Committee will hear a bill on Thursday, Jan. 25, designed to lessen the influence of special interest money on the outcome of judicial elections.

“Over time, our current system has created two elections,” said Sen. Eric Oemig, D-Kirkland, prime sponsor of the measure, Senate Bill 5226. “The first campaign is waged well before Election Day. Its goal is about winning money. The second campaign is about translating that money into votes on Election Day.”

The candidate who receives the most money usually stands the best chance of getting elected, Oemig said. Other times, as in the case of the most recent state Supreme Court election, third parties finance independent advertising campaigns that inevitably turn negative. In either event, groups with money are given an inordinate amount of influence in determining elections, according to Oemig.

“Clean elections level the playing field and put the voters themselves back in control of elections,” Oemig said.

SB 5226 will be heard at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 25, in Senate Hearing Room 2 of the John A. Cherberg Building.

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