2003 Senate Bill 5153

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Introduced by Sen. Don Benton (Vancouver) (R) on January 15, 2003

To establish a procedure for the election of county commissioners by district. Any petition requesting that such an election be held must be submitted to the county auditor for verification of the signatures thereon. If the petition has been signed by the requisite number of county voters, the board of county commissioners shall submit such a proposition to the voters for their approval or rejection at the next general election held at least sixty days after the proposition has been certified by the auditor. Official Text and Analysis.

Referred to the Senate Government Operations and Elections Committee on January 15, 2003

Testimony in opposition offered to the Senate Government Operations and Elections Committee on February 19, 2003

By Paul Parker, Washington State Association of Counties, and Michael Kepcha, citizen. They testified that some districts are gerrymandered which results in unbalanced representation. This option is fully available to charter counties. Counties that wish to elect by district should go through the freeholder process and become charter counties.
Testimony in support: none offered.

Referred to the Senate Rules Committee on February 20, 2003

Passed 25 to 24 in the Senate on March 11, 2003.
See Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No".

To establish a procedure for the election of county commissioners by district.

Received to the House on March 13, 2003

Referred to the House Local Committee on March 13, 2003

The bill did not pass both chambers during the 2003 regular session, so the bill automatically returned to the Senate Rules Committee when the regular 105-day session adjourned on April 27, 2003.

Received in the Senate on January 12, 2004

And active in the 2004 legislative session.