Evan Smith: One fewer election date

By Evan Smith
ShorelineAreaNews Politics Writer

When we voted on school levies and bond measures February 9, it was one of five dates this year that school districts and other public bodies could put propositions on the ballot. That’s one fewer date than last year. Next year. The number of dates will be down to four.

For many years, public bodies could bring propositions on one date each in February, March, April and May, and during the August primary election and November general election.

County elections officials asked the Legislature a few years ago to reduce the number of dates.

The problem was that by the time officials were certifying February results, they were sending out ballots for March elections and gathering material for April. They were counting May ballots during the June candidate-filing period.

The Legislature voted last year to eliminate the March date and to phase out the May date. This year the May date is reserved for re-runs of failed ballot measures. Next year it will be gone altogether.

Snohomish County Auditor Carolyn Weikel tells me that elections officials supported the 2007 constitutional amendment that allowed school levies to pass with a simple majority rather than a 60 percent supermajority.

Weikel told me early this year that, after voters approved the simple-majority amendment, some school officials declined to support the reduction in election dates but the Legislature passed it anyway.