Council saves taxpayer dollars but delays vote on Elections Director

After years of debate, three independent review panels, several studies and a motion to approve an elected director of elections, the County Council today opted to yet again delay on whether voters could choose elected leadership to the King County Records, Elections and Licensing Services Division.

In a 5-4 decision, King County Council Republicans failed to win support for approving I-25 directly and sending a charter amendment to the ballot this November.

“While I am glad the Council acted quickly today to save taxpayers $110,000, we are sadly dragging out an already-overdue process. At the earliest, voters may have to wait 17 more months to find out who their choice for elections director will be,” said Councilmember Reagan Dunn.

The Council was faced with three options: 1) approve I-25 outright and send the charter amendment to the voters in November; 2) place I-25 on the ballot along with an alternative; or 3) place I-25 on the ballot alone.

By approving the first option, Ordinance 2007-0448, the Council would have expedited the first step of a two-step process, the consequence of a Supreme Court decision, for bringing forth charter amendments to a vote of the people this November 6, 2007.

“This issue has been debated since the 2004 election. It now is time to move forward with a public vote. Although this two-step process delays the public’s final vote on whether or not to install a non-partisan Auditor to 2009, it is a major step towards giving the voters the chance to choose whether or not they want this office to be elected,” said Councilmember Kathy Lambert.

Instead, the Council opted to follow the circuitous route - a 17-month process that could require three elections to resolve. These steps would involve: asking the voters in November 2007 whether or not they wanted to vote on changing the county charter next year; if that vote is approved, consider the actual charter amendment for an elected director of elections in November 2008; if then approved, finally allowing voters to select their elections director candidate in February 2009.

“Credible elections are the cornerstone of our democracy and the adoption of this legislation empowers citizens with the opportunity to decide the future of their elections management,” said Councilmember Jane Hague.

While the decision today did save voters an additional $110,000 cost in printing an additional voters’ pamphlet attachment, it added an additional twelve months to the time a new elections director might be chosen by voters.

Additionally, a motion was passed by the Council to name members of the voters’ pamphlet statement committees. Former state legislator Toby Nixon (R-45), Secretary of State Sam Reed, and former KIRO-TV anchorwoman Susan Hutchison were selected to head up the pro-I-25 committee. Members of the anti-I-25 committee will be selected by King County Elections.

In any event, King County voters this fall will have the opportunity to decide whether or not they want to choose who runs their elections.

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