EVERETT, Wash. Snohomish County voters will decide five ballot measures in the Nov. 3 general election that grew out of the county's decadal Charter Review Commission, the Everett Post reported.
The proposals include shifting all county elected offices to nonpartisan races, requiring an 80 percent supermajority of the County Council to pass a tax increase, and establishing an emergency fund for natural disasters such as the catastrophic 2014 Oso landslide. The commission meets every 10 years to consider changes to the county's home rule charter, which serves as the county's constitutional framework for local governance, organizational structure and election methods.
In interviews with the Everett Post, 2026 Charter Review chair Mark James and vice chair Janelle Cass spoke in favor of all five propositions, while Charter Review board member Robin McGee spoke in opposition to each of them.
Proposition 1 would require the county to adopt and maintain a Foundational Government Services Policy that prioritizes funding for essential state-mandated services, such as public safety, courts, infrastructure, public health and core administration, before expanding discretionary programs. James said the idea is to make sure essential services are considered before the executive or council dips into the budget for discretionary spending, and Cass likened it to making sure the budget covers the meat and potatoes before ordering dessert.
McGee countered that human services was included in the original proposal's priority list but was intentionally removed by the commission. She argued the phrase \"including, but not limited to\" would allow future council members or a county executive to refuse to prioritize human services, which she called a real problem.
Proposition 2 would require the county to maintain primary and secondary budget stabilization funds for emergencies, disasters and severe fiscal disruptions, with a supermajority council vote required to spend from the funds, replenishment plans after withdrawals and annual public reporting on balances. Cass said the measure would strengthen reserves for a major emergency like another Oso or a long-anticipated earthquake, and James said it would be funded from interest on other funds at no cost to taxpayers. McGee argued the county already has an emergency fund and said money for a second one must come from somewhere, meaning either program cuts or tax increases.
Proposition 3 would make all Snohomish County elected offices nonpartisan by removing party designations from the ballot, updating vacancy procedures and phasing implementation for County Council, County Executive and Prosecuting Attorney elections through 2030. James said that once fully phased in, voters would no longer see partisan identifiers next to candidates for those offices.