Whatcom ballot 101: Charter amendments
Ready or not, a lengthy election ballot is coming in the mail to registered voters in Whatcom County.
Included among all of the candidates and statewide initiatives are 10 propositions that would change the county charter if approved. Think of the charter as the constitution for Whatcom County.
Voters unfamiliar with the 10 charter amendments can read about them in the county voters guide. To find the guide online, go to whatcomcounty.us/1732/Current-Election and click on “View Guide.”
Here’s a quick rundown on the propositions, including who supports each proposition — “D” for Democrats or progressives, “R” for Republicans or conservatives, or “both.”
Ballots must be returned by Election Day, Nov. 3. Drop them in the mail or in one of 14 ballot drop boxes located across the county.
Proposition 1
Plain English: Should voters only see on their ballot County Council candidates who live in their district? (The county is divided into three districts for now; see Prop. 9.)
Who supports it: R
If it passes: Candidates need only make their pitches to voters who live in their part of the county, and the council could have more rural representation.
If it fails: Voters continue to vote for all council positions in the general election.
Proposition 2
Plain English: If the council is going to ask voters to change a part of the charter that has already been approved by two-thirds of county voters, should that require all seven council members to vote “yes?”
Who supports it: R
If it passes: The council will be restricted in its ability to overturn the will of the voters. Sponsor Ben Elenbaas likened it to Tim Eyman’s attempts to restrict the state Legislature from overturning initiatives that block tax increases. Note: A conflict will arise if Prop. 10 passes too.
If it fails: With a 5-2 vote, the council still would be able to ask voters to amend the charter, no matter how popular the original policy was.
Proposition 3
Plain English: If the council is going to ask voters to change the part of the charter that handles how council members are elected, should that require all seven members to vote “yes?”
Who supports it: R
If it passes: If Prop. 1, district-only voting, passes, the council must agree 7-0 to ask voters to revert again to countywide voting. That would conflict with Prop. 10.
If it fails: The council still would be able to ask voters to change election procedures with a 5-2 vote.
Proposition 4
Plain English: Should the word limit for citizen-sponsored changes to county rules be increased from 20 to 40?
Who supports it: Both
If it passes: Initiatives (county rules proposed by citizens) and referenda (citizen efforts to overturn existing county rules) can be as lengthy as they are at the state level.
If it fails: We won’t know if what we lost in brevity will be made up for with more complete explanations of what these measures mean.
Proposition 5
Plain English: Should we require fewer signatures on petitions for citizens to put proposed county-rule changes on the ballot?
Who supports it: Both
If it passes: About 8,400 signatures of registered voters in the county would be needed to put an initiative (county rule proposed by citizens) or referendum (citizen effort to overturn an existing county rule) on the ballot. That’s 8 percent of the votes cast in the county in the most recent election for governor.
If it fails: The number of signatures needed would remain at 15 percent of votes cast in the county in the most recent general election (about 11,400).
Proposition 6
Plain English: Should we require fewer signatures on petitions for citizens to put proposed charter amendments on the ballot?
Who supports it: D
If it passes: About 15,700 signatures of registered voters in the county would be needed to put a charter amendment on the ballot. That’s 15 percent of the votes cast in the county in the most recent election for governor.
If it fails: The number of signatures needed would remain at 20 percent of the votes cast in the last governor’s race (around 20,900).
Proposition 7
Plain English: Should term limits be set for the county executive and County Council?
Who supports it: R
If it passes: The executive and seven council members could serve no more than three consecutive terms. Incumbents wouldn’t have terms count against them until after the 2017 and 2019 elections.
If it fails: No term limits, and only the voters would be able to prevent an incumbent seeking re-election from staying in office.
Proposition 8
Plain English: Should minor parties be allowed on the Districting Commission, which meets after every census to redraw the county’s internal political boundaries?
Who supports it: Both
If it passes: If parties such as the Libertarians or Greens get enough votes in a prior election, they will have a seat among those who decide political district boundaries.
If it fails: The Democrats and Republicans would continue to have sole authority on the Districting Commission.
Proposition 9
Plain English: Should Whatcom County have five County Council districts instead of three?
Who supports it: D, Bellingham City Council
If it passes: Bellingham likely will get two districts almost to itself. The other three would be split among the small cities and rural areas. Two council members could live anywhere in the county, rather than the current one “at-large” member.
If it fails: The three districts will remain in place. Voting by district or countywide will depend on the outcome of Prop. 1.
Proposition 10
Plain English: Should the Charter Review Commission be required to cast 10 yes votes out of 15 to put a charter amendment on the ballot?
Who supports it: D
If it passes: Not only would the charter commission need to meet a higher bar to get amendments on the ballot, but this proposition is intended to keep the council at a 5-2 vote requirement for charter amendments. That means Prop. 10 can’t be valid alongside 2 or 3.
If it fails: The charter commission, which meets once every 10 years, would continue to put measures on the ballot with a simple majority.
This story was originally published October 14, 2015 at 10:56 AM with the headline "Whatcom ballot 101: Charter amendments."