Drafter
Clerk 05/28/2008
Title
AN ORDINANCE related to elections; expediting transmittal of Initiative 26 to the elections division in order for the initiative to be included in the voters' pamphlet at no incremental cost to the citizens of King County and to avoid the risk that military and overseas ballots will not be mailed on time; and calling a special election for Initiative 26.
Body
STATEMENT OF FACTS:
1. Section 230.50 of the King County Charter specifies a county initiative process whereby the public may propose a county ordinance by filing with the council the required number of signed petitions from registered county voters.
2. A county initiative proposing an amendment to the King County Charter to make the offices of King County executive, King County assessor, and King County council nonpartisan and to establish the nonpartisan selection of districting committee members has been proposed.
3. On December 20, 2007, in accordance with K.C.C. 1.16.050, the King County prosecutor's office prepared a ballot title for the proposed Initiative 26 measure, which is, "This initiative would place the following proposed charter amendment on the November general election ballot: 'Shall the King County Charter be amended to make the offices of King county executive, King county assessor and King county council nonpartisan, and to establish the nonpartisan selection of districting committee members?' Should this initiative be adopted?"
4. On January 2, 2008, in accordance with Section 230.50 of the King County Charter, the clerk of the council approved as to the form the proposed petitions for Initiative 26.
5. On April 1, 2008, there were four thousand six hundred petitions filed for Initiative 26 by the initiative's sponsor with the clerk of the council.
6. On May 14, 2008, the King County elections division director has certified that the number of valid signatures is sufficient for the initiative to be deemed proposed.
7. As Initiative 26 is written, voters will be asked on the August 19, 2008, ballot whether they would like to adopt the proposed initiative ordinance.
8. As Initiative 26 is written, if a majority of voters adopt the proposed initiative ordinance, voters will be asked on the November 4, 2008, ballot whether they would like to adopt the underlying charter amendment.
9. If the King County council does not provide direction to the elections division by June 19, 2008, on Initiative 26, then Initiative 26 must be included in a separate voters' pamphlet at an additional cost to the citizens of King County of approximately $110,000.
10. If the King County council does not provide direction to the elections division by June 19, 2008, on Initiative 26, then there is a risk that the mailing deadline for military and overseas ballots will be missed.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. Initiative 26 shall be submitted to the qualified voters of King County for their approval and ratification or rejection at a special election held on August 19, 2008. If a majority of voters adopt the proposed initiative ordinance in August, the underlying charter amendment, shall be submitted to the qualified voters of King County for their approval and ratification or rejection at the general election held on November 4, 2008.
SECTION 2. This ordinance is solely to expedite transmittal of Initiative 26 to the elections division so that the initiative can be included in the voters' pamphlet at no incremental cost to the citizens of King County and to avoid the risk that military and overseas ballots will not be mailed on time. This ordinance shall not be interpreted as an endorsement of Initiative 26.
SECTION 3. For the reasons set forth in statement subsections 9 and 10 of the statement of facts of this ordinance, this ordinance must be enacted no later than June 19, 2008, to avoid the unnecessary expenditure of scarce public resources that would result if a separate voters' pamphlet is required and to avoid the risk that military and overseas ballots will not be mailed on time.