Five proposals could change how Snohomish County governs itself — and Everett-area residents have three Wednesday evenings in May to weigh in before any of them head to the November ballot.
The county’s 2026 Charter Review Commission, the 15-member elected body that meets every ten years to evaluate the county’s home-rule charter, has narrowed its working list down to five amendments that could appear on the November 2026 general election ballot. Three public hearings — May 13 in Arlington, May 20 in Monroe, and May 27 in Mountlake Terrace — give residents a chance to comment in person before the commission’s May 29 final vote.
That timeline matters because what comes out of those May meetings is what the County Council will then take up for its own public hearings, and what voters will eventually see on their ballots in November.
When are the Snohomish County Charter Review Commission’s public hearings? The commission has scheduled three public hearings, all at 5:30 p.m.: Wednesday, May 13 at Arlington City Hall (238 N. Olympia Ave.); Wednesday, May 20 at Monroe City Hall (806 W. Main St.); and Wednesday, May 27 at Mountlake Terrace City Hall (23204 58th Ave. W.). The commission must adopt its final package of charter amendments by May 29. Approved amendments are transmitted to the County Council for additional hearings before being placed on the November 2026 ballot.
The Five Proposals on the Table
The commission has been working through more than two dozen proposals submitted by commissioners and members of the public since January. Five made it to the public-hearing phase. Here is what each one would do, in plain language.
Proposal 5 — Non-Partisan Offices
Proposal 5 would make the offices of County Executive, County Prosecutor and County Councilmember nonpartisan. Today, candidates for those offices appear on ballots with a party preference next to their name. If voters approved Proposal 5, that party label would go away for those three offices.
Supporters argue nonpartisan offices encourage candidates to focus on local issues over party loyalty. Opponents argue party labels give voters useful information about a candidate’s broader values. The commission has heard versions of this argument throughout the spring.
Proposal 13 — Foundational Government Services
Proposal 13 would require the County Council, when it builds the annual budget, to fund "foundational government services" first, before any discretionary spending. The proposal does not redefine what counts as foundational — that detail would be worked out in implementation — but the structural change would lock in certain services as priority spending categories.
For residents, the practical effect would be felt in years where the county budget is tight: discretionary programs would be the first cuts, and core services would be protected from across-the-board reductions.
Proposal 14 — Budget Stabilization Fund
Proposal 14 would create a county budget stabilization fund — sometimes called a rainy-day fund — for emergencies. Drawing money out of the fund would require four affirmative votes from the five-member County Council. That four-vote threshold matters because it means a single councilmember could not block emergency use, but neither could a bare majority drain it for routine spending.
Proposal 21 — Supermajority to Raise Taxes
Proposal 21 would raise the threshold to four affirmative votes of the County Council to raise taxes. The Snohomish County Council has five members, so today three votes can pass a tax increase. Under Proposal 21, four would be required — making any tax increase a supermajority decision.
This is the proposal most likely to generate the loudest public response in either direction. Residents who want it harder for the council to raise taxes will support it. Residents who worry about the council’s ability to fund services during downturns may oppose it.
Proposal 22 — Financial Transparency Portal
Proposal 22 would create and expand a county financial transparency portal — a public-facing website where residents can look up how the county is spending its money. The exact features and timing of the portal would be set in implementing legislation, but the charter amendment would put the obligation in the county’s foundational document rather than leaving it to whichever council majority happens to be in office.
The Three Hearings: Where, When, How to Show Up
All three hearings start at 5:30 p.m. and run as combined public hearings on the proposed charter amendments. Each location was chosen to give different parts of the county a hearing closer to home, so the commission rotates rather than holding all three meetings in one place.
Wednesday, May 13 — Arlington City Hall, 238 N. Olympia Ave., Arlington. This is the first hearing in the May series.
Wednesday, May 20 — Monroe City Hall, 806 W. Main St., Monroe. Designated as a special meeting/public hearing on the official commission calendar.
Wednesday, May 27 — Mountlake Terrace City Hall, 23204 58th Ave. W., Mountlake Terrace. The final hearing of the public-comment phase.
For Everett residents who can’t make any of the three in-person locations, the commission’s regular meetings — including those public hearings — are also held remotely via Zoom. The webinar link is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88308932549, meeting ID 883-0893 2549. Audio-only call-in numbers are 1-253-215-8782 or 1-206-337-9723.
What Happens After May 29
Under the commission’s working timeline, the final vote on the package of recommended amendments takes place on or before May 29. After that, the commission’s recommendations are transmitted to the Snohomish County Council, which holds its own additional public hearings before deciding which amendments to place on the November 2026 general election ballot.
The County Council does not have the authority to rewrite the commission’s proposals — its role is to send them to the voters or decline to. Anything the council places on the ballot then goes to county voters in November, and a simple majority approves or rejects each amendment individually.
Why Charter Review Matters
Snohomish County is one of seven charter counties in Washington State, meaning it operates under its own home-rule charter rather than the default state county-government structure. The charter was adopted in 1980 and has been amended in 1986, 1996, 2006, and 2016 — roughly every decade.
The 2026 Charter Review Commission was elected by voters in the November 2025 general election. The commission has 15 members, three from each of the county’s five council districts, all serving unpaid one-year terms that began January 1, 2026. The commission is chaired by Brett Gailey of District 5, with Mark James of District 1 serving as vice-chair. Peter Condyles serves as commission coordinator.
The commission’s work is the only formal mechanism in the charter for proposing structural changes to county government. Anything residents want to change about how the county council, executive, prosecutor or other county offices operate at a structural level has to either come through this commission or wait for the next one a decade from now.
What To Do Next
If one or more of the five proposals matters to you, you have four ways to make your voice heard before May 29:
- Attend a hearing in person. All three are open to the public, no registration required. Public comment is accepted during the meeting.
- Attend remotely via Zoom or phone. Use the webinar link or the call-in numbers above. Public comment is also accepted from remote participants.
- Email written comments to commission coordinator Peter Condyles at peter.condyles@snoco.org. Written comments are distributed to commissioners.
- Contact a commissioner directly. Each of the 15 commissioners is listed by district on the official Charter Review Commission page at snohomishcountywa.gov/3520/Charter-Review-Commission, with email addresses for each.
The commission’s full proposal documents — the actual draft charter language for each of the five proposals — are linked from the same official page. Reading the actual draft text matters; press summaries, including this one, are necessarily compressed.
For Everett-specific civic context, see our prior coverage of the parallel Snohomish County Charter Review process from April, the city’s separate Everett Charter Review Committee, and the Snohomish County 2026 Primary Voter Guide for the August 4 races also on this year’s ballot path.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the Snohomish County and Everett charter reviews the same thing?
No. The City of Everett has its own Charter Review Committee — a 15-member appointed body — that reviews the city charter. The Snohomish County Charter Review Commission is a separate 15-member elected body that reviews the county charter. Different governments, different charters, different processes, both on the November 2026 ballot.
Do all five proposals automatically end up on the November ballot?
No. The commission must first adopt its final package by May 29. Then the County Council holds its own hearings before deciding which proposals to place on the ballot. Each approved proposal is voted on individually by Snohomish County voters in November.
Can residents submit new proposals at the May hearings?
The deadline for new proposed amendments from the public was noon on April 8, 2026. The May hearings are for public comment on the five proposals already advanced.
How is Proposal 14 different from Proposal 21?
Proposal 14 creates an emergency reserve fund and requires four council votes to spend from it. Proposal 21 requires four council votes to raise taxes. Both use the same four-vote threshold, but they govern different actions.
When does the County Council take up the commission’s final package?
The official timeline says recommendations are transmitted to the council after May 29, with council public hearings to follow. Specific council hearing dates have not yet been set as of publication and will be posted to snohomishcountywa.gov when scheduled.
Where can I read the actual draft text of each proposal?
All five proposal documents are linked directly from the Charter Review Commission’s official page at snohomishcountywa.gov/3520/Charter-Review-Commission.
Who is on the commission?
Fifteen commissioners — three from each of the five council districts — were elected in November 2025. Chair Brett Gailey (District 5) and Vice-Chair Mark James (District 1) lead the commission. The full roster is on the official commission page.
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