Drafter
Clerk 09/10/2020
Title
AN ORDINANCE revising the appointment process for the districting committee; and amending Ordinance 5327, Section 1, as amended, and K.C.C. 1.22.010.
Body
STATEMENT OF FACTS:
1. The King County Charter identifies a districting process to occur every ten years.
2. The districting process sets the electoral boundaries of the county council districts.
3. In 2008, the voters adopted a charter amendment that made the office of county councilmember nonpartisan.
4. The county code still includes a partisan districting process that is no longer congruent with the county charter.
5. Amendments to the districting process are time sensitive as the next districting committee needs to be appointed by January 31, 2021.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. Ordinance 5327, Section 1, as amended, and K.C.C. 1.22.010 are hereby amended to read as follows:
The districting committee established in Section 650.30.20 of the King County Charter ((, Section 650.30.20,)) shall be appointed as follows:
A. By December 1 of each December preceding a districting committee process, and in written notice to the chair of the council, ((E))each councilmember may nominate one person ((of the councilmember's political party)). The chair shall cause to be introduced a motion for consideration and action by the council that appoints the districting committee members as described in subsection B. of this section; and
B. The King County council shall appoint four members ((, two appointed from the Democratic nominees and two appointed from the Republican nominees)). In appointing the members to the committee, the council shall consider equity and attempt to represent the demographic, geographic and political diversity of the county. Appointees to the
committee should have a history of civic or community engagement and have the necessary background and skill to actively participate in the districting process.