Even-numbered year elections

AN ACT Relating to shifting general elections for local 1
governments to even-numbered years to increase voter participation; 2
amending RCW 29A.04.330, 35.17.020, 35.18.270, 35.23.051, 35.27.090, 3
35.30.080, 35A.02.050, 3.50.040, and 3.50.050; and creating a new 4
section. 5
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:6
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that participation 7
in local government elections is integral to ensuring that local 8
governments and elected officials accurately represent and are 9
accountable to the communities which they serve. The legislature 10
believes that when there is low voter participation in an election, 11
policy outcomes are more favorable to special interests and less 12
reflective of the needs of the broader community. Over the past eight 13
years, Washington has had a dramatic gap between odd-year and even-14
year voter participation: Participation in local elections in odd-15
numbered years averages around 40.5 percent, while even-numbered year 16
elections average around 80 percent participation, nearly double that 17
of odd-year elections.18
Under current law, local governments generally must conduct 19
elections in odd-numbered years that do not coincide with federal or 20
state elections. The legislature believes that holding local 21
S-0577.1
SENATE BILL 5373
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Senators Ramos, Nobles, Slatter, Saldaña, Frame, Orwall, Trudeau,
Stanford, Riccelli, Shewmake, Liias, Bateman, Pedersen, Valdez, and
C. Wilson
Read first time 01/20/25. Referred to Committee on State Government,
Tribal Affairs & Elections.
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government elections in even-numbered years will increase voter 1
turnout and ensure that a broader cross-section of voters participate 2
in contests for local offices, resulting in local governments that 3
more accurately represent and reflect the desires and needs of their 4
communities. In particular, an increase in voter turnout will ensure 5
that the voices of younger voters, working and low-income families, 6
and people with disabilities are heard. Therefore, to increase voter 7
participation in local elections, the legislature intends to provide 8
local governments the option to conduct local elections in even-9
numbered years. 10
Sec. 2. RCW 29A.04.330 and 2015 c 146 s 2 are each amended to 11
read as follows: 12
(1) All city, town, and district general elections shall be held 13
throughout the state of Washington on the first Tuesday following the 14
first Monday in November in the odd-numbered years , except as 15
provided in subsection (6) of this section. 16
This section shall not apply to: 17
(a) Elections for the recall of any elective public officer;18
(b) Public utility districts, conservation districts, or district 19
elections at which the ownership of property within those districts 20
is a prerequisite to voting, all of which elections shall be held at 21
the times prescribed in the laws specifically applicable thereto;22
(c) Consolidation proposals as provided for in RCW 28A.315.235 23
and nonhigh capital fund aid proposals as provided for in chapter 24
28A.540 RCW; and 25
(d) Special flood control districts consisting of three or more 26
counties. 27
(2) The county auditor, as ex officio supervisor of elections, 28
upon request in the form of a resolution of the governing body of a 29
city, town, or district, presented to the auditor prior to the 30
proposed election date, shall call a special election in such city, 31
town, or district, and for the purpose of such special election he or 32
she may combine, unite, or divide precincts. Such a special election 33
shall be held on one of the following dates as decided by the 34
governing body: 35
(a) The second Tuesday in February; 36
(b) The fourth Tuesday in April; 37
(c) The day of the primary election as specified by RCW 38
29A.04.311; or 39
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(d) The first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.1
(3) A resolution calling for a special election on a date set 2
forth in subsection (2)(a) and (b) of this section must be presented 3
to the county auditor at least sixty days prior to the election date. 4
A resolution calling for a special election on a date set forth in 5
subsection (2)(c) of this section must be presented to the county 6
auditor no later than the Friday immediately before the first day of 7
regular candidate filing. A resolution calling for a special election 8
on a date set forth in subsection (2)(d) of this section must be 9
presented to the county auditor no later than the day of the primary.10
(4) In addition to subsection (2)(a) through (d) of this section, 11
a special election to validate an excess levy or bond issue may be 12
called at any time to meet the needs resulting from fire, flood, 13
earthquake, or other act of God, except that no special election may 14
be held between the first day for candidates to file for public 15
office and the last day to certify the returns of the general 16
election other than as provided in subsection (2)(c) and (d) of this 17
section. Such special election shall be conducted and notice thereof 18
given in the manner provided by law. 19
(5) This section shall supersede the provisions of any and all 20
other statutes, whether general or special in nature, having 21
different dates for such city, town, and district elections, the 22
purpose of this section being to establish mandatory dates for 23
holding elections , with the exception of subsection (6) of this 24
section. 25
(6) A city, town, or special purpose district that holds its 26
elections under this title may choose to hold its regular elections 27
in even-numbered years by: Providing notice to the county or counties 28
in which it is located following adoption of an ordinance or policy; 29
approval by the voters of an ordinance or charter amendment referred 30
by its legislative body; or, in jurisdictions in which citizens may 31
propose an initiative or charter amendment under RCW 35.22.220, 32
35A.11.080, or 35A.09.020, approval by the voters of an initiative or 33
charter amendment proposed by the voters.34
(a) A city, town, or special purpose district moving its regular 35
elections to even-numbered years through adoption of an ordinance or 36
policy by its legislative body must hold two public hearings not less 37
than 30 days apart to consider public input. A vote on final adoption 38
of the ordinance or policy may be taken only after at least 30 days 39
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have elapsed since the date on which the second of the two public 1
hearings was held. 2
(b) A city, town, or special purpose district moving its regular 3
elections to even-numbered years must transition from odd-numbered to 4
even-numbered years by electing each position to one term that is 5
either one year shorter or one year longer in duration than provided 6
by law. The length of the transitional term must be specified in the 7
ordinance, policy, initiative, or charter amendment that proposes the 8
transition. After conclusion of that term, beginning in an even-9
numbered year, elections for positions must be for their prescribed 10
term lengths. For special purpose districts, this subsection shall 11
supersede any conflicting provisions regarding term lengths in 12
statutes governing the district.13
(c) A city, town, or special purpose district that chooses to 14
hold its elections in even-numbered years must do so for all elected 15
positions in the jurisdiction.16
(d) If a city, town, or special purpose district repeals an 17
ordinance, charter amendment, or policy that moved its elections to 18
even-numbered years, the jurisdiction shall transition back to odd-19
numbered year elections by electing each position to one term that is 20
one year shorter in duration than provided by law. After conclusion 21
of that term, beginning in an odd-numbered year, elections for 22
positions must be for their prescribed term lengths.23
(e) An ordinance, charter amendment, or policy must be adopted by 24
January 15th of an odd-numbered year for the city, town, or special 25
purpose district to begin transition under (b) of this subsection in 26
that calendar year.27
Sec. 3. RCW 35.17.020 and 2013 c 11 s 87 are each amended to 28
read as follows: 29
(1) All regular elections in cities organized under the statutory 30
commission form of government shall be held quadrennially in the odd-31
numbered years on the dates provided in RCW 29A.04.330, except for 32
cities that are moving or have moved their regular elections to even-33
numbered years under RCW 29A.04.330. ((However, after commissioners 34
are elected at the next general election occurring in 1995 or 1997, 35
regular elections in cities organized under a statutory commission 36
form of government shall be held biennially at municipal general 37
elections.))38
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(2) The commissioners shall be nominated and elected at large. 1
Their terms shall be for four years , unless the city is transitioning 2
its regular elections to even-numbered years as provided by RCW 3
29A.04.330, and until their successors are elected and qualified and 4
assume office in accordance with RCW 29A.60.280. However, at the next 5
regular election of a city organized under a statutory commission 6
form of government, the terms of office of commissioners shall occur 7
with the person who is elected as a commissioner receiving the least 8
number of votes being elected to a two-year term of office and the 9
other two persons who are elected being elected to four-year terms of 10
office. Thereafter, commissioners shall be elected to four-year terms 11
of office. 12
(3) Vacancies on a commission shall occur and shall be filled as 13
provided in chapter 42.12 RCW. 14
Sec. 4. RCW 35.18.270 and 1994 c 223 s 13 are each amended to 15
read as follows: 16
If the majority of the votes cast at a special election for 17
organization on the council-manager plan favor the plan, the city or 18
town shall elect the council required under the council-manager plan 19
in number according to its population at the next municipal general 20
election. However, special elections shall be held to nominate and 21
elect the new city councilmembers at the next primary and general 22
election held in an even-numbered year if the next municipal general 23
election is more than one year after the date of the election at 24
which the voters approved the council-manager plan , unless the city 25
or town is moving or has moved its regularly scheduled elections to 26
even-numbered years as provided by RCW 29A.04.330, in which case it 27
shall hold regular elections rather than special elections . The 28
staggering of terms of office shall occur at the election when the 29
new councilmembers are elected, where the simple majority of the 30
persons elected as councilmembers receiving the greatest numbers of 31
votes shall be elected to four-year terms of office if the election 32
is held in an odd-numbered year, or three-year terms of office if the 33
election is a special election held in an even-numbered year, and the 34
remainder of the persons elected as councilmembers shall be elected 35
to two-year terms of office if the election is held in an odd-36
numbered year, or one-year terms of office if the election is a 37
special election held in an even-numbered year. The initial 38
councilmembers shall take office immediately when they are elected 39
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and qualified, but the lengths of their terms of office shall be 1
calculated from the first day in January in the year following the 2
election. 3
Sec. 5. RCW 35.23.051 and 2019 c 454 s 5 are each amended to 4
read as follows: 5
General municipal elections in second -class cities shall be held 6
biennially in the odd-numbered years and shall be subject to general 7
election law , unless a second-class city is moving or has moved its 8
general municipal elections to even-numbered years under the process 9
provided for in RCW 29A.04.330. 10
The terms of office of the mayor, city attorney, clerk, and 11
treasurer shall be four years and until their successors are elected 12
and qualified and assume office in accordance with RCW 29A.60.280, 13
unless the second-class city is transitioning its general municipal 14
elections to even-numbered years as provided by RCW 29A.04.330: 15
PROVIDED, That if the offices of city attorney, clerk, and treasurer 16
are made appointive, the city attorney, clerk, and treasurer shall 17
not be appointed for a definite term: PROVIDED FURTHER, That the term 18
of the elected treasurer shall not commence in the same biennium in 19
which the term of the mayor commences, nor in which the terms of the 20
city attorney and clerk commence if they are elected.21
Council positions shall be numbered in each second -class city so 22
that council position seven has a two-year term of office and council 23
positions one through six shall each have four-year terms of office. 24
Each councilmember shall remain in office until a successor is 25
elected and qualified and assumes office in accordance with RCW 26
29A.60.280. 27
In its discretion the council of a second -class city may divide 28
the city by ordinance, into a convenient number of wards, not 29
exceeding six, fix the boundaries of the wards, and change the ward 30
boundaries from time to time and as provided in RCW 29A.76.010. No 31
change in the boundaries of any ward shall be made within one hundred 32
twenty days next before the date of a general municipal election, nor 33
within twenty months after the wards have been established or altered 34
unless pursuant to RCW 29A.92.040 or 29A.92.110. However, if a 35
boundary change results in one ward being represented by more 36
councilmembers than the number to which it is entitled, those having 37
the shortest unexpired terms shall be assigned by the council to 38
wards where there is a vacancy, and the councilmembers so assigned 39
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shall be deemed to be residents of the wards to which they are 1
assigned for purposes of determining whether those positions are 2
vacant. 3
Whenever such city is so divided into wards, the city council 4
shall designate by ordinance the number of councilmembers to be 5
elected from each ward, apportioning the same in proportion to the 6
population of the wards. Thereafter the councilmembers so designated 7
shall be elected by the voters resident in such ward, or by general 8
vote of the whole city as may be designated in such ordinance. 9
Council position seven shall not be associated with a ward and the 10
person elected to that position may reside anywhere in the city and 11
voters throughout the city may vote at a primary to nominate 12
candidates for position seven, when a primary is necessary, and at a 13
general election to elect the person to council position seven. 14
Additional territory that is added to the city shall, by act of the 15
council, be annexed to contiguous wards without affecting the right 16
to redistrict at the expiration of twenty months after last previous 17
division. The removal of a councilmember from the ward for which he 18
or she was elected shall create a vacancy in such office.19
Wards shall be redrawn as provided in chapter 29A.76 RCW. Wards 20
shall be used as follows: (1) Only a resident of the ward may be a 21
candidate for, or hold office as, a councilmember of the ward; and 22
(2) only voters of the ward may vote at a primary to nominate 23
candidates for a councilmember of the ward. Voters of the entire city 24
may vote at the general election to elect a councilmember of a ward, 25
unless the city had prior to January 1, 1994, limited the voting in 26
the general election for any or all council positions to only voters 27
residing within the ward associated with the council positions. If a 28
city had so limited the voting in the general election to only voters 29
residing within the ward, then the city shall be authorized to 30
continue to do so. The elections for the remaining council position 31
or council positions that are not associated with a ward shall be 32
conducted as if the wards did not exist. 33
Sec. 6. RCW 35.27.090 and 2009 c 549 s 2056 are each amended to 34
read as follows: 35
All general municipal elections in towns shall be held biennially 36
in the odd-numbered years as provided in RCW 29A.04.330, except in 37
towns that are moving or have moved their regular elections to even-38
numbered years under RCW 29A.04.330. The term of office of the mayor 39
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and treasurer shall be four years and until their successors are 1
elected and qualified and assume office in accordance with RCW 2
((29A.20.040)) 29A.60.280, unless the town is transitioning its 3
general municipal elections to even-numbered years as provided by RCW 4
29A.04.330: PROVIDED, That the term of the treasurer shall not 5
commence in the same biennium in which the term of the mayor 6
commences. Councilmembers shall be elected for four -year terms , 7
unless the town is transitioning its general municipal elections to 8
even-numbered years as provided by RCW 29A.04.330, and until their 9
successors are elected and qualified and assume office in accordance 10
with RCW ((29A.20.040)) 29A.60.280; three at one election and two at 11
the next succeeding biennial election. 12
Sec. 7. RCW 35.30.080 and 2015 c 53 s 42 are each amended to 13
read as follows: 14
(1) When a majority of the legislative body of an unclassified 15
city determines that it would serve the best interests and general 16
welfare of such municipality to change the election procedures of 17
such city to the procedures specified in this section, such 18
legislative body may, by resolution, declare its intention to adopt 19
such procedures for the city. Such resolution must be adopted at 20
least one hundred eighty days before the general municipal election 21
at which the new election procedures are implemented. Within ten days 22
after the passage of the resolution, the legislative body shall cause 23
it to be published at least once in a newspaper of general 24
circulation within the city. 25
(2) All general municipal elections in an unclassified city 26
adopting a resolution under subsection (1) of this section shall be 27
held biennially ((in the odd-numbered years )) as provided in RCW 28
29A.04.330 and shall be held in accordance with the general election 29
laws of the state. An unclassified city may hold its general 30
municipal elections in even-numbered years under RCW 29A.04.330 but 31
remains obligated to comply with the requirements of this section.32
The term of the treasurer shall not commence in the same biennium 33
in which the term of the mayor commences. Candidates for the city 34
council shall run for specific council positions. The staggering of 35
terms of city officers shall be established at the first election, 36
where the simple majority of the persons elected as councilmembers 37
receiving the greatest numbers of votes shall be elected to four-year 38
terms of office and the remainder of the persons elected as 39
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councilmembers and the treasurer shall be elected to two-year terms 1
of office. Thereafter, all elected city officers shall be elected for 2
four-year terms and until their successors are elected and qualified 3
and assume office in accordance with RCW 29A.60.280.4
Sec. 8. RCW 35A.02.050 and 2015 c 53 s 48 are each amended to 5
read as follows: 6
The first election of officers where required for reorganization 7
under a different general plan of government newly adopted in a 8
manner provided in RCW 35A.02.020, 35A.02.030, 35A.06.030, or 9
35A.06.060, as now or hereafter amended, shall be at the next general 10
municipal election if one is to be held more than ninety days but not 11
more than one hundred ((and)) eighty days after certification of a 12
reorganization ordinance or resolution, or otherwise at a special 13
election to be held for that purpose in accordance with RCW 14
29A.04.330, unless the city or town is moving or has moved its 15
regularly scheduled elections to even-numbered years as provided by 16
RCW 29A.04.330, in which case it shall hold regular elections rather 17
than special elections . In the event that the first election of 18
officers is to be held at a general municipal election, such election 19
shall be preceded by a primary election pursuant to RCW 29A.52.210 20
and 29A.04.311. In the event that the first election of all officers 21
is to be held at a special election rather than at a general 22
election, and notwithstanding any provisions of any other law to the 23
contrary, such special election shall be preceded by a primary 24
election to be held on a date authorized by RCW 29A.04.321, and the 25
persons nominated at that primary election shall be voted upon at the 26
next succeeding special election that is authorized by RCW 27
29A.04.321: PROVIDED, That in the event the ordinances calling for 28
reclassification or reclassification and reorganization under the 29
provisions of ((Title 35A RCW )) this title have been filed with the 30
secretary of state pursuant to RCW 35A.02.040 for a special election 31
in an even-numbered year at least ninety days prior to a state 32
general election then the election of new officers shall be 33
concurrent with the state primary and general election and shall be 34
conducted as set forth in general election law. 35
Upon reorganization, candidates for all offices shall file or be 36
nominated for and successful candidates shall be elected to specific 37
council positions. The initial terms of office for those elected at a 38
first election of all officers shall be as follows: (1) A simple 39
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majority of the persons who are elected as councilmembers receiving 1
the greatest numbers of votes and the mayor in a city with a mayor-2
council plan of government shall be elected to four-year terms of 3
office, if the election is held in an odd-numbered year, or three-4
year terms of office, if the election is held in an even-numbered 5
year except in the case of special elections in an even-numbered 6
year, when terms are three years ; and (2) the other persons who are 7
elected as councilmembers shall be elected to two-year terms of 8
office, if the election is held in an odd-numbered year, or one-year 9
terms of office, if the election is held in an even-numbered year 10
except in the case of special elections in an even-numbered year, 11
when terms are one year . The newly elected officials shall take 12
office immediately when they are elected and qualified, but the 13
length of their terms of office shall be calculated from the first 14
day of January in the year following the election. Thereafter, each 15
person elected as a councilmember or mayor in a city with a mayor-16
council plan of government shall be elected to a four-year term of 17
office. Each councilmember and mayor in a city with a mayor-council 18
plan of government shall serve until a successor is elected and 19
qualified and assumes office as provided in RCW 29A.60.280.20
The former officers shall, upon the election and qualification of 21
new officers, deliver to the proper officers of the reorganized 22
noncharter code city all books of record, documents and papers in 23
their possession belonging to such municipal corporation before the 24
reorganization thereof. 25
Sec. 9. RCW 3.50.040 and 2002 c 136 s 2 are each amended to read 26
as follows: 27
Within thirty days after the effective date of the ordinance 28
creating the municipal court, the mayor of each city or town shall 29
appoint a municipal judge or judges of the municipal court for a term 30
of four years. The terms of judges serving on July 1, 1984, and 31
municipal judges who are appointed to terms commencing before January 32
1, 1986, shall expire January 1, 1986. The terms of their successors 33
shall commence on January 1, 1986, and on January 1 of each fourth 34
year thereafter, pursuant to appointment or election as provided in 35
this chapter. Term lengths for municipal judges may be modified to 36
comply with RCW 29A.04.330(6). Appointments shall be made on or 37
before December 1 of the year next preceding the year in which the 38
terms commence. 39
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The legislative authority of a city or town that has the general 1
power of confirmation over mayoral appointments shall have the power 2
to confirm the appointment of a municipal judge. 3
A person appointed as a full-time or part-time municipal judge 4
shall be a citizen of the United States of America and of the state 5
of Washington; and an attorney admitted to practice law before the 6
courts of record of the state of Washington: PROVIDED, That in a 7
municipality having a population less than five thousand persons, a 8
person who has taken and passed by January 1, 2003, the qualifying 9
examination for a lay candidate for judicial officer as provided by 10
rule of the supreme court may be the judge. Any city or town shall 11
have authority to appoint a district judge as its municipal judge 12
when the municipal judge is not required to serve full time. In the 13
event of the appointment of a district judge, the city or town shall 14
pay a pro rata share of the salary. 15
Sec. 10. RCW 3.50.050 and 1984 c 258 s 107 are each amended to 16
read as follows: 17
The legislative authority of the city or town may, by ordinance, 18
provide that the position of municipal judge within the city or town 19
shall be an elective position. The ordinance shall provide for the 20
qualifications of the municipal judge which shall be the same as the 21
qualifications necessary for the appointment thereof; and further, 22
shall provide that the municipal judge shall be elected in the same 23
manner as other elective city officials are elected to office, and 24
that the term of the municipal judge shall be for a term of four 25
years commencing on January 1, 1986, and every four years thereafter. 26
Term lengths for municipal judges may be modified to comply with RCW 27
29A.04.330(6).28
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