Local jurisdictions have the authority to request a special election by submitting a resolution to the Auditor’s Office. Special elections can be conducted in conjunction with the primary and general elections, and spring election dates authorized by law. Currently there are no methods of placing a measure on the ballot by citizen petition in any Thurston County jurisdictions. All issues/measures are requested by the jurisdiction.

For State measures, please see the Office of the Secretary of State’s website.

The most common ballot measures presented to the voters of Thurston County are:

Bonds
Bond issues allow for the collection of tax monies and creation of long term bonds (20 year bonds for example) typically for the purpose of constructing, repairing, and/or creating structures and facilities.

Levies
Levies allow for the collection of a set amount of tax monies over a short period (2 and 4 year levies are common) typically for the purpose of jurisdiction maintenance, operation, and continuity of services. Occasionally they may be earmarked for upgrades or enhancements of existing services.

Levy Lid Lift (Levy Lid Increases)
Levy Lid Lifts do exactly what the name implies: These lift the lid on the current existing levy (temporarily increases the amount of tax money to be collected by the district) when needed.

Sales and Use Tax
Generally a tax placed directly upon users of a general service within a jurisdiction for the purpose of continuing services when operating costs exceed anticipated revenues.

Voter Approval:

Levy Lid Lifts, School District Levies, Sales & Use Taxes require a simple majority (50% +1 YES votes).

Bonds and Excess Tax Levies require validation and a super majority to pass (60% YES votes).

Validation means enough voters participated in the election in order to consider it valid. This is set at 60% of the number of jurisdiction voters that participated in the last General Election. There is an exception for validating if the YES votes are substantially high. Please contact our office for validation statistics.

Advisories
Advisories are non-binding questions placed before the voters of a jurisdiction for the purpose of assisting the council or board of commissioners in a major decision making event.

Change of Form of Government
A request to change the classification of a jurisdiction. Example: Town of Rainier to City of Rainier.

Annexations
A request to absorb an area not within a district’s boundaries into the district’s boundaries. Example: City of Tumwater expanding city limits south due to growth.

Voter Approval:

Passage / Voter Approval of these other measures will vary. Please refer to the most current Revised Code of Washington and Washington Administrative Code, as well as the State Constitution.

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