The 2026 Dual Charter Review: How Everett and Snohomish County Are Rewriting Their Constitutional Documents at the Same Time, and What Ballot Items Voters Will See Next

Quick Answer: In 2026, both the City of Everett and Snohomish County are running active charter review processes — parallel, independent efforts that could reshape how local government works in the Everett area for the next decade. Charter reviews are the mechanism by which the foundational documents of local government get examined and, where voters approve, amended. The Everett review is looking at city council structure, mayoral authority, and citizen engagement processes. The county review is examining county council districts, the executive role, and the charter’s civil rights language. Both processes will produce ballot items that Everett-area voters will decide on in 2026 and 2027.

What a Charter Is and Why It Matters

A local government charter is the constitutional document for a city or county — the top-level rulebook that defines how the government is structured, what powers the council and executive have, and how citizens can petition, vote on, and change policy. The City of Everett operates under a charter adopted by voters and amended periodically. Snohomish County is one of only a handful of Washington counties that operates under a home-rule charter rather than the default county commission structure, which means voters there have direct authority to reshape county government in ways that voters in most Washington counties don’t.

Charter reviews happen on a schedule set by each charter. The City of Everett’s charter calls for periodic review by a commission of appointed or elected residents whose job is to study the current charter, hold public hearings, and recommend amendments for the ballot. Snohomish County’s charter similarly provides for periodic review. In 2026, both review processes are running concurrently — a rare alignment that means Everett-area voters could see charter-related ballot items from both jurisdictions in the same election cycle.

The City of Everett Charter Review in 2026

The City of Everett’s 2026 charter review commission is actively working through the city’s charter section by section. The issues most frequently discussed in public sessions include the structure of city council representation (districts versus at-large, and the size of the council), the relationship between the mayor and the city council, the process by which citizens can propose ballot measures, and the charter’s language around open meetings and public records. These are foundational questions: the outcomes could determine whether Everett continues with its current strong-mayor structure, whether council districts are redrawn, and whether new citizen engagement mechanisms are added.

Practical impact for Everett residents depends on which recommendations make it to the ballot and which voters approve. A charter amendment that restructures council districts could change which council member represents a given neighborhood. An amendment expanding citizen initiative rights could make it easier for residents to put policy questions directly to voters. An amendment changing mayoral authority could reshape how big-ticket decisions like the Everett Transit merger, waterfront development, and public safety policy get made. Residents who want to shape these outcomes should track charter commission meeting agendas and public hearings — both are the primary public input channels before recommendations go to the ballot.

The Snohomish County Charter Review in 2026

Snohomish County’s 2026 charter review is running in parallel at the county level. The county’s charter review commission was seated in 2025 and has been holding public sessions across the county — including in Everett, Lynnwood, Edmonds, and Arlington — to gather input on the items under consideration. The issues most often raised include county council district boundaries, the county executive’s role, language on citizen advisory boards, charter provisions for civil rights and non-discrimination, and procedural questions about how the county contracts and procures services.

For Everett residents specifically, the county charter review matters because Snohomish County delivers services that overlap directly with city life: the Sheriff’s Office provides patrol services in unincorporated areas just outside Everett and contracts for regional services inside Everett; the county court system handles felonies, family law, and civil cases for Everett residents; and county-wide programs like the Assessor’s Office, Public Health, and the Elections Division touch every Everett household. Amendments to the county charter can change the terms of any of those relationships.

Where the Two Reviews Overlap and Where They Don’t

The city and county charter reviews are legally independent — neither has authority over the other, and the ballot items they produce will be voted on separately. But the practical effects overlap in important ways. Both reviews are examining citizen engagement mechanisms, so amendments from either or both could change how residents interact with local government. Both are examining district boundaries, so residents could see changes to the geographic units that define their council and commission representation. And both are happening in a political environment where trust in local government, housing policy, public safety, and civil rights are active debates — meaning the charter questions are being asked against a backdrop of real policy stakes.

Where they diverge: the city charter review is focused on Everett-specific governance questions and its outcomes affect only Everett residents. The county charter review’s outcomes affect all 800,000+ Snohomish County residents. That asymmetry matters for turnout and for which issues get the most attention at public hearings.

How Residents Participate

Both charter review processes run on public input. The standard channels are: attending charter commission meetings (both reviews post agendas in advance), submitting written comments through the commission’s public portal, testifying at public hearings, participating in neighborhood-level information sessions held throughout the review period, and, ultimately, voting on whatever recommendations reach the ballot. Residents who want to influence specific outcomes should identify the commissioners representing their area, attend at least one session, and submit written comments on the issues they care about.

The Timeline: When Ballot Items Appear

Both reviews are working toward ballot items that could appear in 2026 and 2027 elections. The exact timing depends on when each commission finalizes recommendations and when those recommendations clear procedural requirements for ballot placement. Snohomish County Elections will publish the final ballot composition for each election cycle roughly 90 days before the election. Voters should expect to see at least some charter-related items in the November 2026 general election, with additional items potentially carrying over to 2027 depending on how the commissions pace their work.

Frequently Asked Questions About the 2026 Charter Reviews

Are the city and county charter reviews the same process?

No. They are independent. The City of Everett’s review examines the city charter. The Snohomish County review examines the county charter. They happen to be running concurrently in 2026, but they produce separate ballot items and are decided by voters separately.

Can charter reviews change everything about local government?

In theory, yes, within state and federal law. In practice, charter reviews produce amendments — not full replacements. Voters decide each amendment separately.

How do I know who my charter review commissioners are?

The City of Everett publishes its charter review commission roster on the city website. Snohomish County does the same. Both include contact information for commissioners.

What happens if I don’t vote on charter items?

Charter amendments require majority voter approval to pass. If you don’t vote, you don’t shape the outcome, but the amendments don’t fail automatically — they pass or fail based on votes cast.

Do these reviews affect Everett Transit, the waterfront, or other current issues?

Indirectly, yes. Charter amendments can change how the city council and mayor make decisions on these items, which can affect outcomes. They don’t directly legislate on transit or waterfront policy, but they shape the rules under which those decisions are made.