Section 57: Municipal Elections

At all municipal elections—general, special, and primary—the manner of electing officers and of submitting questions or propositions to the qualified electors, conducting and voting at elections, opening and closing of polls, keeping the poll lists, duties of election officers, canvassing the votes, declaring the results and certifying the returns, shall be in accordance with state law.

Effective Date: November 19, 1980
Ordinance C25656 Section 1

Section 58: Elections – When Held

The manner and method of holding and calling all municipal elections, both general and special, shall be according to state law. All municipal elections shall be non-partisan and by the qualified electors of the City.

Effective Date: November 1999
Ordinance C32336 Section 4

Section 59: Council Districting

  1. Membership of the districting board shall consist of the council president and one other council member who shall serve as advisory members, and three qualified representatives.
  2. Qualified candidates for the districting board must satisfy the following criteria:
    1. Candidates must be registered voters within the City of Spokane.
    2. Candidates must be current residents of the City and have maintained a primary residence within the City for the past two consecutive years.
  3. No member of the districting board shall:
    1. have been a registered lobbyist in the State of Washington within one year prior to selection;
    2. campaign for elective office or actively participate in or contribute to any political campaign of any candidate for local, state, or federal office while a member of the districting board;
    3. Hold or campaign for any city council position for two years after the effective date of the districting plan.
  4. The districting board shall convene a minimum of five public hearings throughout the City to receive written and oral comments and to accept proposed districting plans from the general public. The districting board shall only consider those plans which are submitted by individual city residents. The districting board shall hold open meetings, prepare and disclose its minutes, and it may employ experts, consultants, and attorneys not employed by the City, as necessary to carry out its duties as established in this Charter. The districting board shall utilize the most recent available census information and guidelines for districting as established in RCW 44.05.090, as applicable.
  5. No more than ninety days from the effective date of this Charter amendment, the districting board shall submit three districting plans to the city council for final public review and comment. No more than one hundred twenty days from the effective date of this Charter amendment, the city council shall select one of the districting board's plans without alteration, except for data errors. Upon adoption by a majority vote of the city council, the districting plan shall be submitted to the clerk of the city council. The districting plan shall become effective upon filing and the districting board shall be relieved of any further duties and disbanded. The districting plan shall be in force until the effective date of the plan based upon the next succeeding federal decennial census or until a modified plan takes effect as established in this Charter.

Effective Date: November 1999
Ordinance C32336 Section 5

Section 60: Council Redistricting

  1. Pursuant to this Charter, a decennial districting board shall be established during the year of state and federal redistricting to accomplish city council redistricting.
  2. Pursuant to this Charter, a modified council districting plan may be established only within the fifth year of the decennial districting cycle, as defined in Section 59 of the City Charter. Should the city council determine that a modified districting plan is warranted for population adjustment; a districting board shall be established.
  3. The schedule for developing, filing, and implementing a district plan shall be established by the city council upon confirmation of the districting board.
  4. Land that is annexed to the City subsequent to modifications of district boundaries pursuant to a district plan shall be assigned to the city council district that is most contiguous with the annexed land. At its discretion, the city council may take legislative action to assign annexed land to a district in the event the annexed land is contiguous to more than one council district.

Effective Date: August 31, 2011
Ordinance C34628 Section 1

Section 61: Fees

At the time of filing a declaration of candidacy, the candidate shall pay all fees in the amount and manner as provided by state law.

Effective Date: March 25, 2009
Ordinance C34385 Section 35

Section 67: Recall

The holder of any elective office, whether elected or appointed thereto, may be removed by recall in the manner prescribed by state law.

Effective Date: November 2000
Ordinance C32687 Section 7