Snohomish voters face four-vote tax threshold and other charter changes

Four of the five members of the Snohomish County Council will be required to approve any new councilmanic tax starting Jan. 1, 2027, under a proposed charter amendment that appears on the Nov. 3 ballot. This change would raise the threshold from a simple majority of three votes to a supermajority, applying only to new taxes or rate increases that do not require a public vote.

The measure is one of five amendments submitted by the 15-member Charter Review Commission, which convenes every 10 years to evaluate the county’s governing document. The other proposals mandate prioritization of funding for state-mandated services such as the sheriff and prosecutor, require separate budget stabilization funds with strict spending rules, remove party labels from all elected county offices, and create online databases for county contracts and expenditures.

Local political groups have issued conflicting advice to voters. The Snohomish County Republican Party recommends a yes vote on all five measures, while the county Democratic Party advises a no vote on all five. The League of Women Voters of Snohomish County also recommends rejecting all five, citing concerns about the commission’s process and the voting thresholds in Propositions 2 and 5.

Brenda Mann Harrison, president of the local League, criticized the commission’s handling of public input. She stated that public comment was limited to three minutes per speaker and that there was no mechanism to respond to commissioners’ questions or correct the record during deliberations. Harrison also argued that hearings held after initial votes had already advanced could not meaningfully influence the final proposals.

Commission Chair Mark James defended the process, noting that the deadline for submitting amendments was April 8, 2026. He said the commission followed procedures similar to those used by the County Council, holding open meetings both online and in person. James added that the commission considered about 25 proposals, including 11 from the public, during three additional hearings in May.

Four commissioners, Demi Chatters, Jennifer Gregerson, Amanda Dodd and Robin McGee, signed a dissenting letter on May 27. They wrote that public efforts to contribute to the amendments were often met with procedural barriers or limited consideration. James responded that disagreement within the 15-member group did not indicate a flawed process, noting that the final check on the proposals is the electorate on Nov. 3.

According to Cassie Fannin, spokeswoman for the Snohomish County Council office, approved amendments generally take effect 10 days after election results are certified. If an implementation ordinance is required, the council has 180 days from the effective date to enact it. The council’s role was administrative, involving only the transmission of the proposed amendments to the county auditor for the ballot.