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Home My WebLink About2021 - City of Bellingham Prop 2021-17 Reducing Signatures Required to Propose an InitiativeLanguage on the Ballot: City of Bellingham Proposition 2021-17 Reducing Signatures Required to Propose an Initiative City of Bellingham Proposed Charter Amendment No. 2021-02 would reduce the number of signatures required to propose an initiative. This amendment would reduce the number of signatures required to propose an initiative. Currently, petitioners must obtain signatures from at least 20% of the total number of votes cast for mayor in the last preceding municipal election. This amendment would require petitioners to obtain signatures from just 10% of the total number of votes cast for mayor in the last preceding municipal election. The amendment would also eliminate the two -week grace period for obtaining additional signatures. Should this amendment be enacted into law? 0 Yes 0 No Explanatory Statement: The Charter of the City of Bellingham establishes the form of the City, and the manner and mode in which the City exercises its powers, functions, and duties, including the power to direct legislation by initiative. Currently, an initiative may be exercised on petition of a number of qualified voters equal to not less than 20% of the total number of votes cast for Mayor at the last preceding election. This proposed amendment would reduce the signature requirement to propose an initiative from 20% of the total number of votes cast for Mayor at the last preceding election to 10%. Whatcom County Auditor's Office Whatcom County Courthouse 311 Grand Avenue, Suite 103 Bellingham, WA 98225-4038 January 25, 2022 City of Bellingham Andrew Asbjornsen 210 Lottie Street Bellingham, WA 98225 Dear Andrew: Diana Bradrick County Auditor Stacy Henthorn Chief Deputy Auditor Enclosed is the Statement of Votes Cast from the November z, 2021 General Election pertaining to City of Bellingham: Initiative 2021-01, Expanding Tenant Rights to Include Rental Relocation Assistance Initiative 2021-02, Concerning Use of Facial Recognition Technology Initiative 2021-03, Prohibits Using City Funds to Discourage Unionization Efforts Initiative 2021-04, Concerning Employee Rights for Hourly -Wage Employees and Gig Workers Proposition 2021-16, Reducing Signatures Required to Amend Charter Proposition 2021-17, Reducing Signatures Required to Propose an Initiative For the Precinct by Precinct Abstract, please refer to our website at www.whatcomcounty.us/auditor. if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to give me a call at 360-778-5105. Sincerely, �C•'''`4..LL1 fr L,- C PL Diana Bradrick County Auditor Enclosure Administration Elections Licensing Recording We gladly accept Auditor@co.whatcom.wa.us Elections@a co.whatcom.wa.us Licensing@comhatcomma.us Recording@co.whatcom.wa.us relay calls. 360-778-5100 360-778-5102 360-778-5100 360-778-5100 Statement of Votes Cast by Geography Page: 1 of 1 Whatcom County, Washington; General Election November 2, 2021 2021-11-23 All Precincts, All Districts, All ScanStations, City of Bellingham Proposition 2021-16, City of Bellingham 11:20:32 Proposition 2021-17, City of Bellingham Initiative No. 2021-01, City of Bellingham Initiative No. 2021-02, City of Bellingham Initiative No. 2021-03, City of Bellingham Initiative No. 2021-04, All Boxes Total Ballots Cast: 30018 Registered Voters: 157062, Overall Turnout: 19.11 % Choice Votes Vote % All Precincts City of Bellingham Proposition 2021-16 (Vote for 1) 31D018 ballots M over voted ballots 1 overvotes, 1642 undervotes), 61148 registered voters, turnout 49.09% Yes 16048 56.56% No 12327 43.44% Total 28375 100.00% Overvotes 1 Undervotes 1642 City of Bellingham Proposition 2021-17 (Vote for 1) 30018 ballots (0 over voted ballots. 0 overvotes, 1703 undervotes), 61148 registered voters, turnout 49.09% Yes 15553 54.93% No 12762 45.07% Total 28315 100.00% Overvotes 0 Undervotes 1703 City of Bellingham Initiative No. 2021-01 (Vote for 1) 30018 ballots (0 over voted ballots. 0 overvotes, 715 undervotes), 61148 registered voters, turnout 49.09% Yes 14485 49.43% No 14818 50.57% Total 29303 100.00% Overvotes 0 Undervotes 715 City of Bellingham Initiative No. 2021-02 (Vote for 1) 30018 ballots 3 over voted ballots 3 overvotes, 940 undervotes), 61148 registered voters, turnout 49.09% Yes 16630 57.20% No 12445 42.80% Total 29075 100.00% Overvotes 3 Undervotes 940 City of Bellingham Initiative No. 2021-03 (Vote for 1) 30018 ballots 3 over voted ballots 3 overvotes, 1136 undervotes), 61148 registered voters, turnout 49.09% Yes 18237 63.15% No 10642 36,85% Total 28879 100.00% Overvotes 3 Undervotes 1136 City of Bellingham Initiative No. 2021-04 (Vote for 1) 30018 ballots (2 over voted ballots, 2 overvotes, 788 undervotes), 61148 registered voters, turnout 49.09% Yes 11912 40.76% No 17316 59.24% Total 29228 100.00% Overvotes 2 Undervotes 788 #401% r Ballot Measure Cover Shr . A completed cover sheet must accompany each ballot measure submitted to the Whatcom County Auditor. It is the submitter's responsibility to ensure that requested documentation ;s presented no later than the resolution deadline date. This form is available in a fillable form on the Auditor's website: www.whatcomcounty.us/auditor. District Information District Name: City of Bellingham District Address: Contact Person 1 210 Lottie Street, Bellingham Andy Asbjornsen, Finance Director Name & Title 360-778-8020, adasbjornsen@cob.org Phone & email James Erb Name 360-778-8132 Phone & email ,.I- .,: i".;I:, Attached the Resolution with original signatures or a certified copy of the original Resolution? Attached the Explanatory Statement (not to exceed 100 words) for the Local Voters' Pamphlet prepared by your attorney? Attached the "For" and "Against' Committee Appointment Forms? Completed this cover sheet? Auditor s Offlce Use p RECEIVED 2 _ _ l Contact Person 2 Elisabeth Oakes, Deputy Clerk Name & Title 360-778-8006, eaoaks@cob.org Phone & email Has your attorney prepared this ballot measure? XYes ❑ No ,Yes ❑ No Yes ❑ No Yes ❑ No *Yes ❑ No c 71 Missing document(s): I understand that the submittal deadline date for the missing documents is a �.J 3 Z0V and the Auditor's Office will not begin process g this ballot measure until all documents have been submitted. WHAM OM CORNTDYAU TOR � ) Deputy Auditors Signature Presenters Signature Office of the City Attorney City of Bellingham August 2, 2021 Whatcom County Auditor Diana Bradrick 311 Grand Avenue Suite 103 Bellingham, WA 98225 RE: Explanatory Statement for Proposed Charter Amendment 2021-02 Dear Madame Auditor, The City Attorney's Office has drafted the following explanatory statement regarding City of Bellingham's Proposed Charter Amendment 2021-02 to be included in the local voter's pamphlet: The Charter of the City of Bellingham establishes the form of the City, and the manner and mode in which the City exercises its powers, functions, and duties, including the power to direct legislation by initiative. Currently, an initiative may be exercised on petition of a number of qualified voters equal to not less than 20% of the total number of votes cast for Mayor at the last preceding election. This proposed amendment would reduce the signature requirement to propose an initiative from 20% of the total number of votes cast for Mayor at the last preceding election to 10%. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. Please let know if you have any questions. Respectfully, James Erb Sr. Asst. City Attorney Office: (360) 778-8270 1 Fax: (360) 778-8271 1 www.cob.org/attorney 210 Lottie Street, Bellingham WA 98225 RESOLUTION NO. 2021-23 A RESOLUTION APPOINTING COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO SERVE ON THE COMMITTEES FOR AND AGAINST THE PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENT TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF SIGNATURES REQUIRED TO PROPOSE AN INITIATIVE WHEREAS, City Council passed Resolution 2021-016 on July 12, 2021, proposing an amendment to Article X, section 2 of the City's Charter; and WHEREAS, the proposed Charter amendment would reduce the number of signatures required to propose an initiative from 20% of the total number of votes cast for mayor in the last preceding general municipal election to 10% of the total number of votes cast for mayor in the last preceding general municipal election; and WHEREAS, the Whatcom County Auditor will publish a local voters' pamphlet to inform the voters about candidates and ballot measures appearing on the ballot; and WHEREAS, prior to submitting a resolution placing a measure on the ballot, the City must" formally appoint a committee "For" and "Against" the ballot measure. The committee "For" will prepare a statement advocating voters' approval of the measure; the committee "Against" will prepare a statement advocating voters' rejection of the measure.; and NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BELLINGHAM: The City Council designates the following community members to serve on the committee "For" the proposed Charter amendment to Article X, section 2 of the City's Charter to prepare a statement advocating that voters approve the measure: Michael Lilliquist, Andrew Redding, and Cindy Madigan. The City Council designates the following community members to serve on the committee "Against" the proposed Charter amendment to Article X, section 2 of the City's Charter to prepare a statement advocating that voters reject the measure: No persons applied. Resolution Appointing Committees For and Against Proposed Charter Amendment (1) City of Bellingham City Attorney 210 Lottie Street Bellingham, Washington 98225 360-778-8270 PASSED by the Council this 2"d day of August, 2021. APPROVED by me this day of 1 ATTEST: And for en, nce Director APPROV A5 TO 1=0 M: Office of tVaty Attorney Resolution Appointing Committees For and Against Proposed Charter Amendment (2) Hannah Stone, Council Pre dent 2021: • r *7 r SeY,feetwood, yar Q City of Bellingham City Attorney 210 Lottie Street Bellingham, Washington 98225 360-778-8270 BALLOT TITLE FOR CITY OF BELLINGHAM PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENT No. 2021-02 City of Bellingham Proposed Charter Amendment No. 2021-02 would reduce the number of signatures required to propose an initiative. This amendment would reduce the number of signatures required to propose an initiative. Currently, petitioners must obtain signatures from at least 20% of the total number of votes cast for mayor in the last preceding municipal election. This amendment would require petitioners to obtain signatures from just 10% of the total number of votes cast for mayor in the last preceding municipal election. The amendment would also eliminate the two -week grace period for obtaining additional signatures. Should this amendment be enacted into law? Yes? ..................................... No? ...................................... RESOLUTION NO. 2021-16 A RESOLUTION OF CITY COUNCIL PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE X, SECTION 2 OF THE CITY'S CHARTER TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF SIGNATURES REQUIRED TO PROPOSE AN INITIATIVE WHEREAS, the Charter of the City of Bellingham provides for direct legislation by initiative petition; and WHEREAS, initiatives strengthen democracy through increasing voter turnout and letting voters act directly on the issues they care about; and WHEREAS, in the past 20 years, there have been 60 statewide initiatives, but only two City of Bellingham initiatives; and WHEREAS, the percentage of signatures required for ballot initiatives in both Whatcom County and the State of Washington is 6%; and WHEREAS, the Whatcom County Auditor has recommended that the 20-day grace period for gathering additional signatures be removed because of the practical impossibility of verifying signatures on initiative petitions after Primary Day; and NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BELLINGHAM: Section 1. Article X, Section 2 of the Charter shall be amended to read as follows: The first power reserved by the people is the initiative. The registered electors of the City may propose any ordinance, or amendments to any existing ordinance, relating to matters within the legislative, as distinguished from administrative, powers of the City as a corporate entity. Notwithstanding the above classification. no ordinance shall be initiated relating to the annual budget or capital expense budget, making or repealing any appropriation, fixing the salaries or wages of officers or employees, or authorizing or repealing the levy of taxes. An initiative may be exercised on petition of a number of qualified voters equal to not less than 2j9% 10% of the total number of votes cast for the office of Mayor at the last preceding municipal general election, proposing the enactment, as an ordinance, of a bill, the full text of which shall be included in the petition_ Every initiative petition shall be filed with the Finance Director, who shall verify the sufficiency of the signatures to the petition, and transmit it, together with a report thereon, to the City Council at a regular meeting not more than 20 days after the filing of the petition, and such transmission shall be the introduction of the initiative bill in the City Council. ig-he-F-inanoe i]irbnFnr_cba;l i:r.ri �.r_.i_r.ofi#in., io be wis ffi6km4 E�dt�Fe , F7ti�jf v,rcvsvr-Ur.ccit7tt�r+.zavrr'[a-4�Trr.�c� y, fhgiPa.[-�•"f�ii..�n��ri��u�}�3i�ditir.r.x.ivu��aii t-rvc-v�rv.'iv+d-tt'ic'F"7't�ri-rri "iro.F'rcc "Vt�ira the Feq ifed- rcent-age- Resolution #2021-16 Amending Article X, City of Bellingham Section 2 of the Charter (1) City Attorney 210 Lottie Street Bellingham, Washington 98225 360-778-8270 Consideration of initiatives shall take precedence over all other business before the City Council, except appropriation bills and emergency bills necessary for the immediate I preservation of the public peace, health or safety. Section 2. The Finance Director shall submit a copy of this resolution to the Whatcom County Auditor's office for submission to the qualified electors for approval or rejection at the next general municipal election. PASSED by the Council this 12" day of Jam, 2021. Hannah Stone, Council P esident APPROVED by me this _L�_ day of 2021. f S leetwood, r ATTEST: Andy Jo se mance Director APPRO AS TO F M: Office f the City Attorn y Resolution #2021-16 Amending Article X, City of Bellingham Section 2 of the Charter (2) City Attorney 210 Lottie Street Bellingham, Washington 98225 360-778-8270