Snohomish County Charter Amendments: 2026 General Election Voter Guide to November Ballot Propositions

Civic Information Notice: This guide is prepared by Tygart Media solely for public education and civic transparency. Tygart Media does not endorse candidates or ballot measures. Summaries and fiscal details are sourced directly from the Snohomish County Auditor’s Official Local Voters’ Pamphlet and Charter Review Commission public filings.

Snohomish County voters have five proposed county charter amendments on their Tuesday, November 3, 2026 general election ballot. Convened once every ten years under Snohomish County Charter Section 8.10, the 15-member elected Charter Review Commission held public hearings across the county in May 2026, adopted five proposed charter amendments on May 29, and transmitted them to the Snohomish County Council, which unanimously placed them on the November ballot.

Every registered voter in Snohomish County receives these five measures on their ballot envelope alongside federal, state, and legislative races. Below is a neutral, non-partisan guide to Propositions 1 through 5, explaining what each measure does, what a “Yes” or “No” vote means, and key voting deadlines and drop box locations.

Proposition by Proposition: The 2026 Charter Amendments Explained

Proposition No. 1 — Adoption of a Foundational Government Services Policy

Official Ballot Title: Shall the Snohomish County Charter be amended to add a foundational government services policy requiring the county to prioritize funding for mandated core services before discretionary programs?

• What a “Yes” Vote Means: Amends the county charter to establish an explicit fiscal policy directing the County Executive and County Council to prioritize and protect funding for constitutionally and state-mandated foundational services—including the Sheriff’s Office, Prosecuting Attorney, Superior and District Courts, Auditor, Treasurer, Assessor, County Clerk, and core public health and safety—before allocating general county revenues to non-mandated discretionary programs.
• What a “No” Vote Means: Rejects the amendment. The County Council and Executive retain their current flexible statutory budgeting discretion under existing charter provisions without an enumerated constitutional funding hierarchy.
• Arguments in the Official Record:
  • Proponents state that local government’s first duty is public safety, justice administration, and core infrastructure. A foundational policy ensures essential services do not suffer arbitrary cuts during economic downturns while non-essential initiatives continue to receive funding.
  • Opponents contend that the measure creates rigid budget constraints, could spark legal disputes over which services qualify as “foundational,” and restricts the county’s ability to respond dynamically to emerging community needs, housing crises, or economic emergencies.

Proposition No. 2 — Prioritize Funding of Budget Stabilization Funds

Official Ballot Title: Shall the Snohomish County Charter be amended to require the establishment, prioritized funding, and maintenance of budget stabilization reserve funds, with withdrawals requiring a supermajority council vote?

• What a “Yes” Vote Means: Formally codifies into the charter a mandatory budget stabilization reserve policy. The county must maintain a primary fiscal-stability fund and a dedicated catastrophic/emergency reserve. Tapping these reserve funds requires a supermajority vote of the County Council, accompanied by mandatory replenishment timelines and annual public reporting by the Treasurer.
• What a “No” Vote Means: Rejects the amendment. The county continues managing reserve levels and rainy-day policies through regular county code ordinances and executive financial policies rather than charter mandates.
• Arguments in the Official Record:
  • Proponents argue that mandatory reserve stabilization funds protect county taxpayers and bond ratings from sudden fiscal shocks, revenue declines, or natural disasters, ensuring fiscal discipline across future administrations.
  • Opponents argue that locking reserve formulas and supermajority release requirements into the charter reduces legislative flexibility and could delay vital emergency appropriations during unexpected fiscal or public health crises.

Proposition No. 3 — Converting All Elected Offices to Non-partisan Offices

Official Ballot Title: Shall the Snohomish County Charter be amended to make all county elected offices non-partisan, eliminating political party designations from the ballot and voters’ pamphlets?

• What a “Yes” Vote Means: Removes partisan party preference labels (e.g., Democrat, Republican) from the ballot and local voters’ pamphlet for all county-level elected offices, including the County Council, County Executive, and Prosecuting Attorney. (Offices such as Sheriff, Assessor, Auditor, Clerk, and Treasurer are already non-partisan under prior charter revisions). Phased implementation applies to all subsequent county elections.
• What a “No” Vote Means: Rejects the amendment. Candidates for County Council, County Executive, and Prosecuting Attorney will continue to declare and display their political party preference on primary and general election ballots.
• Arguments in the Official Record:
  • Proponents assert that local administration—road paving, law enforcement, public health, land use, and budget oversight—is fundamentally practical rather than ideological. Non-partisan elections encourage broader voter participation and reduce national political polarization in county government.
  • Opponents maintain that political party affiliations provide voters with valuable shorthand information regarding candidates’ governing philosophies, values, and policy alignments, and that removing party labels obscures transparency.

Proposition No. 4 — Increasing Public Access to County Financial Transparency

Official Ballot Title: Shall the Snohomish County Charter be amended to require enhanced public online access to county financial information, contracts, and expenditure data?

• What a “Yes” Vote Means: Places a direct requirement into the charter mandating that Snohomish County publish detailed financial data—including operating budgets, expenditures, public procurement contracts, vendor payments, and employee compensation schedules—in an accessible, searchable online public portal to the extent permitted by law.
• What a “No” Vote Means: Rejects the amendment. Financial transparency policies remain governed by existing state public records laws (RCW 42.56) and current county administrative procedures without an explicit charter portal requirement.
• Arguments in the Official Record:
  • Proponents argue that taxpayers have an inherent right to inspect how public dollars are collected and spent. A modern, centralized transparency portal reduces public records delays, increases accountability, and deters wasteful spending.
  • Opponents suggest the charter amendment is redundant given existing state public records laws and county financial websites, and express concern regarding potential administrative software implementation costs.

Proposition No. 5 — Requiring a 4/5 Supermajority Council Vote to Increase Taxes

Official Ballot Title: Shall the Snohomish County Charter be amended to require a four-fifths supermajority vote of the County Council to enact, levy, or increase any councilmanic tax?

• What a “Yes” Vote Means: Increases the required voting threshold from a simple majority (3 out of 5 council members) to a 4/5 supermajority (at least 4 out of 5 council members) for the County Council to levy, enact, or increase any councilmanic tax (taxes the council is authorized by state law to impose without a public ballot vote). The requirement takes effect for council actions occurring after January 1, 2027.
• What a “No” Vote Means: Rejects the amendment. The County Council retains the authority to pass permitted councilmanic tax measures with a simple majority vote (3 of 5 members) as authorized by Washington State law and the current county charter.
• Arguments in the Official Record:
  • Proponents emphasize that tax increases place lasting financial burdens on households and small businesses. Requiring a 4/5 supermajority ensures broad consensus among council members before county tax burdens can be raised.
  • Opponents argue that a 4/5 supermajority enables a minority of two council members to block essential revenue measures for county services, potentially forcing severe cuts to infrastructure or public safety during budget deficits.

Snohomish County Voting Dispatch & Official Ballot Drop Box Directory

Washington State conducts all elections by mail. To be counted, your ballot must either be:

1. Deposited into an official Snohomish County ballot drop box by 8:00 PM sharp on Tuesday, November 3, 2026; or
2. Postmarked by the U.S. Postal Service on or before Tuesday, November 3, 2026 (no postage required).

There are 38 official 24/7 ballot drop boxes open throughout Snohomish County during the election period. Below are key verified drop box locations across major municipal centers:

• Everett (Courthouse Campus): Snohomish County Auditor / Elections Office, 3000 Rockefeller Ave (Admin West Building), Everett, WA 98201 (courtyard drop box at Rockefeller Ave & Wall St).
• Edmonds: Edmonds Library, 650 Main St, Edmonds, WA 98020.
• Lynnwood: Lynnwood City Hall / Civic Center campus, 19100 44th Ave W, Lynnwood, WA 98036.
• Marysville: Marysville Municipal Campus / City Hall, 1049 State Ave, Marysville, WA 98270.
• Snohomish: Snohomish Library, 311 Maple Ave, Snohomish, WA 98290.

Note: Only official Snohomish County drop boxes verified by the County Elections Division should be used. Remember to sign your ballot return envelope; your signature is checked against your voter registration file before your ballot is counted.

Voter Resources & Contact Information

• Track Your Ballot Online: Log in to VoteWA.gov to verify your ballot receipt and signature acceptance status.
• Snohomish County Elections Division: 3000 Rockefeller Ave, Everett, WA 98201. Phone: (425) 388-3444 | Email: elections@snoco.org.
• In-Person Services: Replacement ballots, voter registration updates, and accessible voting equipment are available at the Auditor’s Elections Office on the Everett campus through 8:00 PM on Election Day.

Related Snohomish County Civic Coverage

Explore Tygart Media’s in-depth reporting on regional governance and electoral issues:

• Snohomish County 2026 Primary Guide — Candidate filings and electoral background across county districts.
• Everett Charter Review Committee Guide — Understanding municipal charter processes versus countywide charter reviews.
• Mayor Franklin 2026 State of the City Address — Municipal civic and economic priorities across Everett.