Thurston County amends code to match state law on local voters pamphlet

The Thurston County Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved an ordinance to amend county code sections 2.108.010, .020 and .030 so the county’s local voters pamphlet rules match state law.

Elections manager Tilly, speaking for the auditor’s office, told the board the change is a housekeeping update intended to align county code with RCW 29A.32.210. “This update was identified during our internal review… the proposed changes simply bring our county code ordinance into alignment with the current law and long standing practice here in Thurston County,” she said.

The pamphlet requirement cited in state law has evolved: county staff said Washington law since 2020 requires counties to publish a local voters pamphlet for any election that includes local offices or measures. Tilly told commissioners Thurston County has published local voters pamphlets for more than 40 years and began including state candidates in 2014.

No members of the public submitted comments on the ordinance at the hearing. Commissioner Mehan described the action as documenting an existing practice rather than introducing a new policy: “It’s just really now we’re just updating the ordinance, but in practice… we’ve been doing it this whole time,” Mehan said, praising the auditor’s office.

With no public testimony, the board closed the hearing, moved the ordinance, and approved it following a brief round of acknowledgments to elections staff. The ordinance text and effective date were not specified on the public record during the hearing; staff indicated the change simply reflects current practice and statute.