What are the requirements for petitions for the formation of library districts?
There do not appear to be any specifics regarding what should be included in a petition. It is best to contact your County Elections Department and the County Prosecuting Attorney to determine the exact format they will accept.
A word to the wise: Be sure to confer with your County Prosecuting Attorney before printing any petitions!
Contact information for County Elections Departments in Washington State is available on the Secretary of State's Elections & Voting web page.
Contact information for County Prosecuting Attorneys is available at the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys.
When do petitions need to be submitted?
When petitions must be submitted will depend upon the process at the county:
- For a spring election, the County Commissioners must submit a resolution to the County Auditor at least 46 days before the election. The County Commissioners' office needs to be informed as to the requirements and to determine how much lead time is needed;
- The time needed for checking the signatures will have to come from the Elections Division of the County Auditor's Office. The Elections Division should be able to determine how much time they will need to check the signatures once the petition is submitted. Some factors that could lengthen the signature check process would include:
- Redistricting of legislative and congressional boundaries;
- Holding of a statewide special election (e.g., statewide tax increase proposition).
- The County Commissioner's time frame plus the County Auditor's time frame will determine the amount of time before the deadline when petitions must be submitted.
For filing and election dates, see the Washington Secretary of State's Elections Calendar.
Who pays for elections?
Every city, town, and district is liable for its proportionate share of the costs when such elections are held in conjunction with other elections held under RCW 29A.04.321 and RCW 29A.04.330.
Whenever any city, town, or district holds any primary or election, general or special, on an isolated date, all costs of such elections must be borne by the city, town, or district concerned. See also RCW 29A.04.410
The expense of all such elections shall be paid for out of the funds of such district. See also RCW 57.24.050.
When are special elections held?
A county legislative authority may call a special county election by presenting a resolution to the county auditor prior to the proposed election date. The special election is then held on one of the following dates, determined by the governing body:
- 2nd Tuesday in February;
- 4th Tuesday in April;
- The day of the primary as specified by RCW 29A.04.311; or
- 1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday in November.
See also RCW 29A.04.321; RCW 29A.04.330.
Annexation Procedures After Approval
- The town prepares proposes an ordinance to join. They SHOULD NOT take any action on it other than to propose it.
- The Board “affirms” that they are happy to have the town join the district on the terms expressed in the proposed ordinance.
- The Town Council then passes the proposed ordinance and sends it back to the Library Board.
- The Library Board takes action (passes a motion/a resolution) to accept the ordinance at a regular or special meeting of the Board.
- The Library Board then notifies the County Commissioners. The notification could be a cover letter explaining the situation over a copy of the minutes of the meeting with the motion/resolution included.
- RCW 27.12.370 says the County Commissioners shall (meaning in this instance are required) hold an election for this ordinance to go before the voters of the town to be annexed.