King County - File #: 2021-0232

• File #: 2021-0232
• Version: 2
• Type: Ordinance
• Status: Lapsed
• File created: 6/15/2021
• In control: Committee of the Whole
• Final action: 2/1/2022
• Title: AN ORDINANCE proposing to amend the King County Charter to utilize ranked-choice voting for the election of county officers, including the King County executive, the King County assessor, the King County director of elections, the King County councilmembers and the King County prosecuting attorney, effective January 1 following the council's adoption of an ordinance approving protocols for ranked-choice voting; amending Section 610 of the King County Charter; and submitting the same to the voters of the county for their ratification or rejection at a special election to be held in conjunction with the November 2, 2021, general election.
• Sponsors: Girmay Zahilay, Jeanne Kohl-Welles
• Indexes: Assessor, Charter, Council, Elections, Executive, King County, Prosecuting Attorney
• Staff: Leskinen, Miranda

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
7/13/2021	2	Metropolitan King County Council	Re-referred
7/7/2021	1	Committee of the Whole	Recommended Do Pass Substitute	Pass
6/16/2021	1	Committee of the Whole	Deferred
6/15/2021	1	Metropolitan King County Council	Introduced and Referred

title
AN ORDINANCE proposing to amend the King County Charter to utilize ranked-choice voting for the election of county officers, including the King County executive, the King County assessor, the King County director of elections, the King County councilmembers and the King County prosecuting attorney, effective January 1 following the council's adoption of an ordinance approving protocols for ranked-choice voting; amending Section 610 of the King County Charter; and submitting the same to the voters of the county for their ratification or rejection at a special election to be held in conjunction with the November 2, 2021, general election.
Body
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. There shall be submitted to the qualified voters of King County for their ratification or rejection, at a special election to be held in conjunction with the November 2, 2021, general election, an amendment to Section 610 of the King County Charter to read as follows:
Section 610 Election Procedures.
The nominating primaries and elections for the offices of the King County executive, the King County assessor, the King County councilmembers and the King County prosecuting attorney shall be conducted in accordance with general law governing the election of nonpartisan county officers. However, the elections of county officers, including the King County executive, the King County assessor, the King County director of elections, the King County councilmembers and the King County prosecuting attorney, shall be conducted using ranked-choice voting, effective January 1 following the county council's adoption of an ordinance approving protocols for ranked-choice voting.
Ranked-choice voting shall give voters the option of ranking candidates in order of preference and shall be conducted in rounds. In each round, each voter's ballot shall count as a single vote for whichever continuing candidate the voter has ranked highest. The candidate with the fewest votes afte...