Council rejects adoption of Initiative 25, lets it go to November ballot as submitted

If voters approve in 2007, charter amendment creating elective office of elections director would appear on November 2008 ballot.

As submitted, I-25 puts before voters an ordinance proposing an amendment to the King County Charter to create the elective office of county director of elections. If that ordinance is approved by voters in November 2007, the underlying charter amendment would appear on the November 2008 ballot. If the charter amendment is approved, an election would be held in February 2009 for county elections director.

“I joined the vote to place this on the ballot as written, so that voters can judge for themselves the strengths and weaknesses of this measure,” said Councilmember Larry Phillips.

Had the Council taken no action on I-25 by Sept. 17, the initiative would have automatically appeared on the November ballot. However, the Council acted today to transmit the measure to the county’s Records, Elections and Licensing Services Division so that pro and con statements can be prepared in time for inclusion in the printed voters’ pamphlet and video voters’ guide. The expedited action saved taxpayers the additional cost of about $110,000 to produce a separate voters’ pamphlet exclusively for I-25.

“Today’s vote should not be interpreted as an endorsement of I-25,” said Councilmember Dow Constantine. “All this ordinance does is ensure that the measure will appear in the November voters’ pamphlet and avoid the extra cost that would have been required to print a separate pamphlet.”

Members chose not to adopt an alternate ordinance sponsored by Councilmember Bob Ferguson that would have changed the date of the proposed election for elections director from February to November 2009.

“Rather than holding a special election in February, I support having this office stand for election in the August primary and November general election,” said Ferguson.

“Including the office of elections director in the regular election cycle would have allowed for a primary and a general election for the post,” said Councilmember Julia Patterson. “I am disappointed the Council did not offer voters a choice.”

At its special meeting today at Mercer View Community Center on Mercer Island, the council also adopted a motion appointing a committee to write the voters pamphlet statement in support of I-25. The motion calls upon the county executive to appoint the committee to write the statement opposing I-25.

Read more about this legislation on the King County Council’s LEGISEARCH system.
Type in “2007-0450”