2006 Seattle Elections

General Elections Voters' Guide

ChrtrAm 11-When Approved Ballot Issues take Effect - Ballot Title

Ballot Title

The city council has proposed amendments to Article IV Section 1F and Article XX Sections 1 and 2 of the city charter concerning when initiatives and charter amendments take effect following voter approval.

These amendments would change the deadline for the mayor to issue and publish a proclamation putting an initiative or charter amendment into effect following its approval by the voters. The charter currently requires the mayor to issue and publish the proclamation within five days after the election. Under the amendments, the mayor would be required to issue and publish the proclamation within five days after the election results have been certified.

Should these charter amendments be

Approved ………
Rejected ………

1. The proposal

These charter amendments would change the date for an initiative or charter amendment to take effect after it has been approved by the voters.

2. The charter as it currently exists

City charter Article IV Section 1F governs when an initiative takes effect after the voters have approved it. That section states that an initiative becomes law when the mayor issues a proclamation to that effect; the mayor's proclamation must be issued and published in the City's official newspaper within five days after the election at which the voters approve the initiative.

City charter Article XX Sections 1 and 2 contain similar provisions concerning when a charter amendment takes effect after it has been approved by the voters. Those sections require the mayor to issue a proclamation that the amendment is part of the charter; as with initiatives, the mayor's proclamation must be issued and published in the City's official newspaper within five days after the election at which the voters approve the charter amendment.

State laws govern the counting of ballots and the certification of election results. Under state law, the counties are responsible for these functions. Under procedures established by state law, certifying election results may occur more than five days after an election. This means that city charter provisions concerning the effective date for initiatives and charter amendments potentially conflict with state law.

3. The effect of these amendments if approved

Article IV Section 1F and Article XX Sections 1 and 2 of the city charter would be amended to change the deadline for the mayor to issue and publish a proclamation placing an initiative or a charter amendment into effect; the proclamation would have to be issued and published in the City's official newspaper within five days after election results have been certified. These amendments would effectively change the time that initiatives and charter amendments take effect, and would make city charter provisions consistent with state law.

This proposition and Seattle Charter Amendment No. 12 amend different provisions of Article XX Section 1 of the charter. Each amendment is independent of the other. If the voters approve either amendment at the November 7 election, then that amendment will be given effect. If the voters approve both amendments at the November 7 election, then both amendments will be given effect.