Commission advances amendment to lower initiative threshold and allow mini-initiative transfers

The Charter Review Commission advanced amendment 2640 on May 20 after a study committee presentation and discussion with elections staff. The amendment would lower countywide initiative/refendum signature thresholds from 10% to 8%, allow proponents who fall short of a full initiative to convert their petition into a mini-initiative if they reach the lower 3% threshold, change how unincorporated-area petitions are calculated, and permit the county auditor to verify petition signatures using random statistical sampling of no fewer than 3,000 signatures in compliance with WAC 434-379-010.

Secretary Garber, the proposal sponsor, said the 3,000-sample requirement is stricter in practice than a previously proposed 10% sampling rule in some petition contexts and increases certainty for auditors while reducing staff time. She told commissioners that if sampling indicates insufficient valid signatures, the elections office would revert to a full signature review.

Commissioners asked detailed questions about how sampling would work, what happens if many sampled signatures are invalid, and how transfers from a full initiative to a mini-initiative would be handled. Commissioner Jay said he has discussed the proposal widely with constituents and expressed strong support for making the citizen initiative process more accessible. Commissioner Landisburg cast the lone recorded negative vote on the final advancement motion, citing concerns about statistical sampling.

Next steps: amendment 2640 will be taken up by the drafting committee for resolution formatting and subsequent review.