HomeMy WebLinkAboutord2005-0501VHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL AGENDA BILL vn_ 2005 -212
CLEARANCES
Initial
Date
Date Received in Council Office
A enda Date
Assi ned to:
Originator.
p5
�/��1� ,,,I^^^�� M
" " `-' `� D
MAY 0 3 2005
WHATCOM COUNTY
COUNCIL
5 /10/2005
Intro
Di�'i; ion Head:
Dept Head:
Prosecutor:
Purchasrn ,Budget:
Executive:
�>�
/
S 43
TITLE OF DOCUMENT: Ordinance Designating All Vote by Mail Elections in Whatcom County
ATTACHMENTS:
SEPA review required? ( ) Yes ( x ) NO Should Clerk schedule a hearing ? ( ) Yes ( x ) NO
SEPA review completed? ( ) Yes ( x ) NO Requested Date:
SUAV IARYSTATEMENT OR LEGAL NOTICE LANGUAGE: (If this item is an ordinance or requires a public
hearing, you must provide the language for use in the required public notice. Be specific and cite RCW or WCC as appropriate.
Be clear in explaining the intent of the action.)
Recent passage of state legislation now makes it possible for the county legislative authority to designate all
vote by mail elections without having to re- precinct. This ordinance establishes Whatcom County as a vote by
mail county.
COMMITTEE ACTION:
COUNCIL ACTION:
5/1012005: Introduced
5/24/2005: Adopted 6 -01 Caskey- Schreiber
absent, Ord. #2005 -050
Related Co unty Contract #:
Related File Numbers:
Ordinance or Resolution
Number: Ord. #2005 -050
Please :'Vote: Once adopted and signed, ordinances and resolutions are available for viewing and printing
on the Coun !'s website at: www.co.whatcom.wauVcounci1.
INTRODUCED BY: Consent
PROPOSED BY: County Auditor
INTRODUCTION DATE: May 10, 2005
ORDINANCE NO. 2005 -050
AN ORDINANCE DESIGNATING ALL VOTE BY MAIL ELECTIONS IN
WHATCOM COUNTY
WHEREAS, the Whatcom County Council approved on January 11, 2005
Resolution # 2005 -001 to designate the Auditor's Office to re- precinct the county in
order to have fewer than two hundred voters per precinct, thereby giving Whatcom
County the ability to designate elections to be conducted by all mail balloting; and
WHEREAS, the Washington State Legislature has now adopted and Governor
Christine Gregoire has signed an amendment to RCW 29A.48.010 to give the county
legislative authority the option to conduct all vote by mail elections without having to re-
precinct; and
WHEREAS, the same arguments made at the passage of Resolution #2005 -001
still apply, namely the high absentee voter turnout already noted in recent elections and
the high costs of replacing the punch card system at polling places with touch screen
equipment, a requirement of the Help America Vote Act of 2002.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED AND ESTABLISHED by the
Whatcom County Council that Whatcom County be designated an all vote by mail county
pursuant to RCW 29A.48.010.
S 24 day of May 2005.
&.
••�jMAT••• ti
oklh;Z oeII
rii�kNtntn +'
TRdall J"
Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL,
WHATCON COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Chair
t i Approved ( ) Denied
Pete Kremer,oun Executive
Date: 6-,L,2
��