MRSC Insight Blog

Posts for Elections

March 31, 2025 by MRSC Insight
Category: Elections

During any election season, there are a variety of common areas that can trip up candidates, elected officials, and local government agencies and their staff — so let's review some potential problems before they happen.

Running for Local Office? Filing Week Begins May 5

March 10, 2025 by Linda Gallagher
Category: Elections

In a change from past years, the filing period for anyone wishing to run for local elected office in Washington State is May 5-9. Though this is not the only change impacting local elections, it is one of the more significant.

How Did Local Ballot Measures Fare in the November 2024 General Election?

December 9, 2024 by Steve Hawley
Category: Parks, Recreation, and Culture , Transportation , Emergency Medical Services , Elections , Fire Protection , Revenues , Minimum Wage , Water Resources , Law Enforcement , Special Districts

Tax-related initiatives struggled to gain voter approval in the 2024 November general election, and it was a mixed bag for other local ballot measures across the state.

A group of elected officials assume their seats at the dais

Managing Unexpected Post-Elections Issues

October 21, 2024 by MRSC Insight
Category: Elections

From ties to contested results, unusual and unexpected situations can arise during the election process. Fortunately, state law offers solutions for such situations.

A bicyclist rides pass a variety of election related yard signs

Regulating Signs During Election Season

September 9, 2024 by Jill Dvorkin
Category: Elections , Sign Control

MRSC gets many questions regarding the regulation of political signage, before and after an election, but jurisdictions must be careful in drafting and enforcing regulations so as to not improperly infringe on a person’s right to free expression.

Sunset with Port of Everett in background

Recapping the August 2024 Local Ballot Measure Results

September 4, 2024 by Steve Hawley
Category: Parks, Recreation, and Culture , Transportation , Port Districts , Emergency Medical Services , Elections , Fire Protection , Law Enforcement

Local governments placed 90 ballot measures in the August primary election, including many levy lid lift proposals, various public safety taxes, fire benefit charges, a citywide cannabis sales ban, and proposed service expansions.

A person putting a ballot into a ballot box

Managing Election-Related Issues

August 14, 2024 by MRSC Insight
Category: Elections

Challenges can arise for a local government during an election season, including those involving candidates, keeping election workers safe, keeping ballot boxes accessible and secure, and regulating temporary signage.

New Elections Laws Passed in 2024

May 28, 2024 by Linda Gallagher
Category: Elections , New Legislation and Regulations

In 2024 the legislature passed new bills related to elections integrity, including some that address election worker safety, improve the ballot review and voter verification process, and ease the ability for a voter to move their official address from one county to another.

A candidate forum with three candidates and a moderator in front of an audience

Supporting/Opposing Ballot Measures and Candidates

May 20, 2024 by Steve Gross
Category: Elections , Ballot Measures

Election season raises many questions for local government staff and elected officials, especially when it comes to ballot measures and candidates running for office. What are the rules for supporting or opposing an issue or a candidate, and how do these apply?

Recapping the November 2023 Local Ballot Measure Results

December 13, 2023 by Steve Hawley
Category: Courts and Criminal Justice System , Parks and Recreation Finance , Housing , Emergency Medical Services , Elections , Fire Protection , Homelessness , Law Enforcement

There were a 113 ballot measures before voters this past November, in an off-year election that drew record-low voter turnouts. How did that impact levy lid lifts requests, newly proposed districts, or citizen's initiatives?

A woman celebrates winning her election with her supporters

You’ve Been Elected: Now What?

November 29, 2023 by MRSC Insight
Category: Administrative and Elected Officials , County Officials , Elections

Now that you've been elected there are a number of steps you'll need to take before assuming office, as well as some resources you might want to check out to get ready for your new adventure.

Empty outdoor public swimming pool waiting for swimmers

Ballot Measure Highlights from the August 2023 Primary Election

August 21, 2023 by Steve Hawley
Category: Annexation , Facilities , Elections , Special Districts , Property Taxes

Primary elections generally see some ballot measures succeed and some fail across the state. This past August, libraries, rec centers, and fire districts fared well, but public hospital districts saw mixed success. And, as always, levy lid lift measures achieved mixed results.

New Elections Laws Passed in 2023

July 17, 2023 by Linda Gallagher
Category: Court Decisions and AGO Opinions , Elections , New Legislation and Regulations

The state legislature adopted several new election laws this year regarding the candidate filing period, voter registration, records of future voters under the age of 18, and the Washington Voting Rights Act.

A voter putting their ballot into a mailbox

Recapping the February and April 2023 Ballot Measure Results

May 15, 2023 by Steve Hawley
Category: Elections , Fire Protection , Health and Human Services

Regional fire authorities, fire district mergers, hospital funding, and a regional crisis care center network were some of the local ballot measures that appeared before voters in the February and April special elections.

Recapping the November 2022 Ballot Measure Results

December 7, 2022 by Steve Hawley
Category: Elections , Revenues , Transportation Finance

As with many past elections, this past November brought voters over 100 local ballot measures across the state, from libraries to bond measures to levy lid lifts. New this year, however, were several measures involving ranked-choice voting and home rule charter propositions.

Elections Integrity and Security: Part 2

October 3, 2022 by Linda Gallagher
Category: Elections

In the second part of our series on election security measures, we look at how elections offices verify and tabulate votes to ensure a complete result, and under what conditions and how a recount happens.

Elections Integrity and Security: Part 1

September 26, 2022 by Linda Gallagher
Category: Elections

Free, fair, and accurate elections are a hallmark of our democratic system. Washington State has enacted a number of measures to protect each person’s right to vote and to ensure that elections statewide are safe and secure.

How Local Ballot Measures Fared in the 2021 General Election

November 10, 2021 by Steve Hawley
Category: Courts and Criminal Justice System , Elections , Transportation Finance , Forms of Government-City , Forms of Government-County , Inclusive Communities

From changes in governance to funding for criminal justice, libraries, and transportation, this blog covers many local ballot measures across the state and how these issues fared in the recent general election.

Redistricting and the 2020 Census

August 30, 2021 by Linda Gallagher
Category: Elections , Tax and Population Data

Local governments using a district-based voting system must begin the process of redistricting in response to the 2020 Census, although a delay in distribution of this data also means new redistricting deadlines.

2021: New Election Laws

July 8, 2021 by Linda Gallagher
Category: Elections , New Legislation and Regulations

This blog summarizes five new laws relating to elections from the 2021 legislative session.

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