Pierce County Voters Reject Appointed Sheriff Plan; Everett Bans Double-Dipping
Washington charter cities and counties voted to keep local law enforcement elected and restrict simultaneous public offices.
By Lucas Collins ·
Pierce County voters rejected a proposal on Friday to convert the sheriff position from an elected office to an appointed one. The measure, known as Charter Amendment 53, lost with 68% of voters against it. This result preserves the current system in which residents select the county sheriff directly.
Sheriff Keith Swank, who was elected to a four-year term two years ago with just over 50% of the vote, will remain in office. Had the amendment passed, Swank would have been removed from the post on Jan. 1, 2027. Swank expressed satisfaction with the outcome on Thursday, stating that the vote confirms the public’s desire to choose the sheriff.
“It means the people of Pierce County want to continue to exercise their right to vote for sheriff,” Swank said. He noted that some voters who did not support him in the 2024 race still voted against the change. “It’s about the job, not the person in the job,” he added.
Voters in the same county also defeated Charter Amendment 54, which would have created an independent board to oversee the sheriff’s department. Swank said he opposed the measure and stated he would not cooperate with the new board if it had passed.
In Everett, the largest city in Snohomish County, voters approved Proposition 1 by a margin of 93% to 7%. The measure prohibits mayors and City Council members from holding any other elected public office at any level of government. The only exception allows service as a precinct committee officer.
Randy Bolerjack, a member of the city charter review panel, supported the ban. “Throughout Snohomish County, there are too many examples of politicians collecting elected offices,” Bolerjack said. “Representatives in government should hold the trust of one elected position at a time.” Officials who win a second elected seat will lose their city post upon swearing in to the new role.
Snohomish County voters rejected Proposition 3 by a 70% to 30% margin. The proposal would have made the county executive and county council offices nonpartisan, removing party labels from ballots. Jennifer Gregerson, a Democrat activist and former mayor of Mukilteo, served on the commission that opposed the change. “I am just glad to see the voters in the county recognize that and they don’t want candidates to hide their beliefs,” Gregerson said.
In Clark County, 82% of voters approved Charter Amendment 19 to limit council members to three consecutive terms. The measure allows a former council member to return to service after sitting out one full term. The proposal explanation cites a balance between accumulated experience and the benefit of periodic turnover.
