File #: 2003-0270    Version:
Type: Ordinance Status: Passed
File created: 6/9/2003 In control: Labor, Operations and Technology Committee
On agenda: Final action: 7/14/2003
Enactment date: 7/25/2003 Enactment #: 14711
Title: AN ORDINANCE establishing the King County citizens' elections oversight committee.
Sponsors: Jane Hague, Kathy Lambert, Steve Hammond
Indexes: Committees, Elections
Attachments: 1. Ordinance 14711.pdf, 2. 2003-0270 Revised Staff Report, 3. None
Drafter
Clerk 07/09/2003
Title
AN ORDINANCE establishing the King County citizens' elections oversight committee.
Body
PREAMBLE:
1. The proper administration of elections is an essential function of county government in Washington state. Public confidence in the prompt and accurate counting of ballots is of the utmost importance to our democratic society. Conducting elections requires numerous other important administrative matters including registering voters, processing filings for candidates and measures, and publishing voters' pamphlets.
2. Tens of thousands of absentee ballots were mailed two weeks late for the November 2002 general election. In many cases, the ballots did not arrive in voters mailboxes until the day of the election.
3. The metropolitan King County council has provided leadership and strong oversight to restore public confidence in the King County election system.
4. The council's committee-of-the-whole received a briefing on December 9, 2002, on the operations of the King County elections office in general and the distribution of absentee ballots for the November 2002 general election in particular.
5. In February 2003, the Secretary of State's Office released a report reviewing the November 2002 general election in King County. The report found that King County had fallen significantly behind in processing voter registrations. The report also recommended that the county develop or acquire a voter registration system that meets the needs of the county.
6. On February 3, 2003, the committee-of-the-whole held a special meeting at the King County mail ballot operations satellite, where absentee ballots are counted. The council toured and inspected the facility.
7. On February 14, 2003, the metropolitan King County council adopted Ordinance 14570, which was enacted. The ordinance requires council confirmation of the position of manager of the King County records, elections and licensing services division and the positi...

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