2006 Seattle Elections

General Elections Voters' Guide

Chrtr Am 12-Selected Cnclmmbrs Vote on Chrtr Amend - Complete Text

A RESOLUTION submitting a proposition to the qualified electors of the City, at an election to be held on November 7, 2006, to amend Section 1 of Article XX of the Charter of the City of Seattle to delete "elected" in reference to members of the Council for purposes of proposing Charter amendments; calling on the City Clerk to certify the proposed amendment to the Director of the Department of Records and Elections of King County and requesting and directing such Director to call a special election and submit the proposition to City voters; and providing for the publication of such proposed amendment.

WHEREAS, Section 1 of Article XX of the City Charter currently provides that a majority of all the City Councilmembers "elected" may agree to place proposed amendments to the City Charter before the voters; and

WHEREAS, Subsection 6.B and Subsection 6.C of Article XIX of the City Charter provide for the seated Councilmembers to select persons to fill vacant Councilmember positions; and

WHEREAS, from time to time a vacancy does occur on the City Council, because of a Councilmember's resignation or other situation, resulting in one or more Councilmembers having been selected rather than "elected"; and

WHEREAS, a Councilmember filling a vacant Councilmember position has all of the same rights to vote on issues before the Council as does an elected Councilmember; and

WHEREAS, modifying the City Charter to eliminate the word "elected" in Section 1 of Article XX would make it clear that Councilmembers selected to fill vacancies can participate in the voting process for placing proposed charter amendments before the voters; NOW THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS

FOLLOWS:

Section 1. Subject to the approval of a proposition by a majority of the qualified electors casting votes thereon, Section 1 of Article XX of the Charter of the City of Seattle is amended as follows:

ARTICLE XX. Charter Amendments

Section 1. PROPOSED BY COUNCIL: Any amendment or amendments to this Charter may be proposed in the City Council, and if the same be agreed to by a majority of all the members elected , such proposed amendment or amendments shall be entered upon the journal with the yeas and nays of the members voting thereon. Upon the passage of any such amendment or amendments, the same shall be submitted to electors of the City for their ratification at the next general state or municipal election, which shall be at least sixty days after the adoption of such proposed amendment in the council; and if at such election any such amendment shall be ratified by a majority of the qualified electors voting thereon, the same shall thereby become a part of this Charter, and within five days after such election shall be by the Mayor by proclamation published in the City official newspaper and proclaimed a part thereof: Provided, that if more than one amendment be submitted at the same general state or municipal election the same shall be submitted at such election in such manner that each proposed amendment may be voted on separately without prejudice to others; and provided further, that after the passage of such proposed amendments through the Council the same shall be published in accordance with state law by the City Clerk prior to the day of submitting the same to the electors for their approval.

Section 2. If the amendment to Section 1 of Article XX submitted by Resolution 30893 is also approved by voters, both changes to Section 1 of Article XX shall be incorporated into the Charter.

Section 3. The King County Director of Records and Elections, as ex officio supervisor of elections, is hereby requested to call a special election and is directed to submit the charter amendment proposed herein to the qualified electors of the City at the election on November 7, 2006.

Section 4. The City Clerk shall certify to the Director of the Department of Records and Elections of King County as Supervisor of Elections the charter amendment proposed herein in the form of a ballot title prepared by the City Attorney pursuant to RCW 29A.36.071, and shall certify a copy of the proposed Charter amendment, and the same shall be published by the City Clerk in accordance with state law.