[CCCNFBW] Five town halls on county charter proposed amendments scheduled

[Merribeth Greenberg]

Five town halls on county charter proposed amendments scheduled
Commissioners will present information and answer questions about 9
amendments on ballots
Photo of Shari Phiel
By Shari Phiel, Columbian Staff Reporter
Published: September 14, 2026, 12:18pm
Updated: September 15, 2026, 7:50am
Five town halls on county charter proposed amendments scheduled - The
Columbian
<https://www.columbian.com/news/2026/sep/14/five-town-halls-on-county-charter-proposed-amendments-scheduled/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=Morning+Briefing>

The Clark County Charter Review Commission will host a series of town hall
meetings between Sept. 26 and Oct. 11 to educate residents on the nine
proposed amendments on the Nov. 3 general election ballot.

A meeting will be held in each of the county’s five council districts:
The District 5 meeting is 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sept. 26 at the
Ridgefield Community Library, 210 N. Main Ave.
The District 4 meeting is 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Oct. 3 at Camas Public
Library, 625 N.E. Fourth Ave.
The District 3 event is 3 to 5 p.m. Oct. 4 at Cascade Park Community
Library, 600 N.E. 136th Ave.
The District 2 event is 3 to 5 p.m. Oct. 11 in the Bud Van Cleve Room at
Luke Jensen Sports Complex, 4000 N.E. 78th St.
The District 1 meeting is 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 10 in the Columbia Room at
Vancouver Community Library, 901 C St. (CCCNFB meeting this day as well at
10am)
The commissioners will present information and answer questions on the
proposed charter amendments. Residents also can submit comments to the
commission through the county’s website.

Clark County’s home rule charter serves as the county’s rule book for how
local government is set up and operates. The charter defines the
organization, roles, powers, functions, elections and process. However, the
charter does not set day-to-day policies. The charter also cannot override
state and federal laws.

Here are the nine proposed charter amendments on the ballot:
Amendment 19 would limit the number of consecutive terms county councilors
can serve to three. Former councilors would again be eligible for election
after one full term out of office.
Amendment 20 is intended to increase transparency of the county’s budget
process. If approved, a new timeline for submitting budgets, presenting to
the county council and adoption would be established. The new timeline
would be earlier than the dates currently set by state law.
Amendment 21 would give the county council concurrent authority with the
county manager to nominate members to all boards and commissions, with the
exception of the ethics review commission. Currently, the council can only
nominate members to the planning commission, historic preservation
commission and the board of equalization.
Amendment 22, if passed, removes nonpartisan county races from the primary
election if only one or two candidates file to run. Election of nonpartisan
county offices would be held in even numbered years.
Amendment 23 would require the county manager to produce an annual report
on the county’s fiscal and government affairs — and any other information
the council decides is necessary — and to present that report in a public
meeting.
Amendment 24 requires the county to publish a Housing Impact Analysis prior
to adopting any ordinance likely to impact residential housing capacity,
density, permitting, and subdivision or parking requirements.
Amendment 25 would require a supermajority vote of the county council to
establish or increase taxes. A two-thirds or supermajority vote would mean
that four of the five council members would have to support the vote, as
compared with the simple majority or three votes currently needed.
Amendment 26 is intended to make the county’s citizen-led initiative and
referendum process more achievable. The amendment would reduce the number
of signatures needed from 10 percent to 8 percent, allow initiatives
without sufficient signatures the opportunity to become a mini-initiative
and change how the number of signatures needed is calculated for petitions
affecting unincorporated areas only.
Amendment 27 would let the county council conduct performance audits of
county departments or programs. Audits may also be conducted by an outside
consultant or the auditor’s office.
More information about the charter review commission and amendments is
available at clark.wa.gov. Submit comments by email at
charterreview at clark.wa.gov.
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