Measure Information - King County

November 4, 2008 General Election

County

Simple majority (Wash. Const. art. XI, sec. 4 and King County Charter Section 800).

King County Charter Amendment No. 4
Additional Qualifications for Elected Officials

Shall Section 630 of the King County Charter be amended to authorize the county council to establish additional qualifications for separately elected officials who head executive departments, as provided in Ordinance No. 16206?

YES
NO

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

Currently, King County Charter Section 630 requires that county elected officials be at least twenty-one years of age, citizens of the United States, and residents and registered voters of King County, and that council members be residents of the district they represent. Section 630 allows the county council to establish additional qualifications for the office of sheriff. If this proposed charter amendment is approved, it would amend Section 630 to allow the county council to establish additional qualifications for all separately elected officials who head executive departments. This would include the offices of sheriff and assessor. Additionally, the director of elections would also be included if the proposed charter amendment making it an elected office is approved by voters at the November 2008 election.

Statement For

This proposed charter amendment would permit the King County Council to adopt ordinances to establish qualifications for candidates for the offices of assessor, elections director (if it becomes an elected office) and sheriff. This proposal was recommended by a large majority of the Charter Review Commission and a majority of the County Council. There is precedent for this amendment because in 1996 the Charter was amended to allow the County Council to establish additional qualifications for the sheriff’s office.

Approval of this proposal would enable the County Council to adopt legislation that would prevent election of a candidate who lacks the essential qualifications for the particular position. (Charter Review Commissioners raised this concern during their deliberations). Adoption of this proposal also would help to avoid conflicts of interests that a potential officeholder might have.

Washington state law already establishes some minimal state requirements for county prosecuting attorneys and sheriffs. Shouldn’t King County be able to do the same for the persons who will assess our properties and conduct our elections?

We urge you to support this proposal.

Rebuttal of Statement Against

The County Executive and Councilmembers are elected to establish policies for county government. The Assessor, Sheriff, and the Elections Director are administrative officers who carry out the policies determined by the Executive and Councilmembers.

It makes sense to spell out specific qualifications for officials administering special, technical jobs, such as the Assessor, Sheriff, and Elections Director. Setting qualifications for these jobs will protect the public interest, ensuring that the jobs are performed competently.

Vote yes.

STATEMENT PREPARED BY: Dan Gandara, Gary Long, Lois North

Statement Against

What are the qualifications to run for King County Council? Just be 21 years old and a registered voter living in your council district. No college degree. No special training. Just let the voters decide.

The Council trusts the voters to make the right decision when it comes to their office. So why don’t they trust the voters when it comes to the election of other offices?

If the approval of the people of King County is qualification enough to serve on the King County Council, then it should be good enough to serve in other offices.

No other county in Washington has special qualifications for the auditors who run their elections. There are no special qualifications for Secretary of State, who is the chief elections officer for the entire state.

What we do need are elected officials who are committed to obeying the law, to transparency, and to serving the interests of the public. No qualification set by the Council can measure such things – only the voters can make that determination.

We should trust the people of King County to choose the best person for director of elections and the other elected executive officers of the county. Vote NO.

Rebuttal Of Statement For

Just as no one would present him or herself as a candidate for sheriff without some law enforcement background, any serious candidate for assessor or elections director will have the required technical and management ability. Voters will determine the best one for the job. The County Council should not decide who is eligible for these separate executive positions; we trust the voters of King County to make their own selections. Vote No.

STATEMENT PREPARED BY: Toby Nixon, Sarah Rindlaub

Complete Text of Resolution

Ordinance 16206

Proposed No. 2008-0360.1 Sponsors Constantine and Phillips

AN ORDINANCE proposing an amendment to Section 630 of the King County Charter, to authorize the county council to establish additional qualifications for separately elected officials who head executive departments, including the sheriff, assessor, and the proposed director of elections; and submitting the same to the voters of the county for their ratification or rejection at the November 2008 general election.

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:

SECTION 1. There shall be submitted to the voters of King County for their approval and ratification or rejection, at the next general election to be held in this county occurring more than forty-five days after the enactment of this ordinance, an amendment to Section 630 of the King County Charter, as set forth herein:

Section 630. Qualifications.

Each county officer holding an elective office shall be, at the time of his appointment or election and at all times while he holds office, at least twenty-one years of age, a citizen of the United States and a resident and registered voter of King County; and each ((councilman)) councilmember shall be a resident of the district ((which he)) that the councilmember represents. Any change in the boundaries of a ((councilman’s)) councilmember’s district ((which shall cause him)) that causes the councilmember to be no longer a resident of the district ((which he)) that the councilmember represents shall not disqualify ((him)) the councilmember from holding office during the remainder of the term for which ((he)) the councilmember was elected or appointed. Additional qualifications ((of the office of sheriff,)) for those separately elected officials who head executive departments may be established by ordinance.

SECTION 2. The clerk of the council shall certify the proposition to the manager of the elections division, in substantially the following form, with such additions, deletions or modifications as may be required by the prosecuting attorney:

Shall Section 630 of the King County Charter be amended to authorize the county council to establish additional qualifications for separately elected officials who head executive departments?

Ordinance 16206 was introduced on 6/30/2008 and passed by the Metropolitan King County Council on 7/14/2008, by the following vote:

Yes: 5 – Ms. Patterson, Mr. Constantine, Mr. Ferguson, Mr. Gossett and Mr. Phillips

No: 3 – Mr. Dunn, Mr. von Reichbauer and Ms. Hague

Excused: 1 – Ms. Lambert

KING COUNTY COUNCIL

KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON

Julia Patterson, Chair (signed)

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