A bill proposing to limit membership on local ballot measure statement committees to registered voters within the jurisdiction is scheduled for hearing this week.

A jurisdiction’s elected leadership appoints members to committees to prepare “for” and “against” statements on all local ballot measures. These statements are published in local voters pamphlets. As the law currently stands, each committee comprises up to three members and anyone may be appointed to a statement committee.

SB 6238, sponsored by Sen. Sam Hunt (D–Olympia), changes current law to allow only registered voters within the jurisdiction to be appointed to statement committees. The bill still allows the committees to seek advice from any outside person or organization.

AWC is monitoring this bill and requests your feedback. Please contact Sharon or Jacob to share how this bill would affect your city’s ability to form statement committees.

Dates to remember

SB 6238 is scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on State Government, Tribal Relations & Elections at 1:30 pm on Friday, January 24.