Clallam County Proposed Amendment No. 3 — Charter Amendment Requiring Printing of the Full Text of Proposed Charter Amendments in the Local Voters' Pamphlet

Last updated Sat, Nov 7, 4:07 PM ET

Ballot measure · November 3, 2026

What it does
The Clallam County Charter Review Commission has adopted Resolution No. 5 concerning local voters' pamphlet print requirements for proposed charter amendments. This proposition would amend Article XI of the Clallam County Charter to require the full text of all proposed charter amendments to be printed in the local voters’ pamphlet. Should this proposition be:
A YES vote means
The full text of all proposed Clallam County charter amendments would have to be printed in the local voters' pamphlet.
A NO vote means
Clallam County's charter would not require printing the full text of proposed amendments in the voters' pamphlet.
Needed to pass
A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.
Left–right lean
Not a left–right issue: a procedural or local question that liberals and conservatives don't typically split on (AI read of the official ballot summary).

The YES and NO lines are SpectrumVote's plain-language reading of the official text above; the official text is what you vote on.

Official text: source

Explained

Today

  • State law (RCW 29A.32.241) requires each county's local voters' pamphlet to include 'the text of each measure.' The state voters' pamphlet must include the full text of each statewide measure.
  • Section 11.20.10 of the Clallam County Charter sets out how charter amendments are proposed and submitted to voters, but it does not say what must be printed in the pamphlet.
  • The Charter Review Commission found that the County Auditor has not always printed the full text of proposed charter amendments in the local pamphlet, and that the Prosecuting Attorney has said only 'the text' (not the full text) is required.

If it passes

  • A 'yes' vote adds one sentence to Charter Section 11.20.10: 'The full text of any proposed Charter amendment shall be printed in the local voters' pamphlet.'
  • That would apply to every future proposed charter amendment, whether proposed by the Charter Review Commission, the County Commissioners or the public.
  • Like other charter amendments, it would take effect 10 days after the election results are certified.
  • A 'no' vote leaves the charter as it is; state law's requirement to print 'the text of each measure' would still apply.

Who would notice

Clallam County voters, who would see the full wording of future proposed charter amendments in their pamphlet, and the County Auditor's office, which prints it. The amendment sets no tax.

How it got here

The elected 2025 Clallam County Charter Review Commission adopted Resolution No. 5 on December 22, 2025, by a 14-0 vote, sending this amendment to the November 2026 ballot. It is one of several charter amendments the commission placed on this ballot.

The commission said it wanted to avoid the risk of a voter-approved amendment being voided because its full text was not printed, and to give county voters the same chance to review the exact terms that state voters get for statewide initiatives. The same concern came up before: in 2007, a former commissioner, Ron Richards, raised a last-minute problem when he could not find the actual language of proposed charter changes, the Peninsula Daily News reported.

What each side says

Supporters

  • Despite state law requiring the local pamphlet to include the text of each measure, Clallam's pamphlet has not always included the full text of proposed charter amendments. Voters need the precise wording to understand an amendment's effect, and the Charter Review Commission approved the measure 14-0. · Ron Richards, 'For' committee (official voters' pamphlet statement)

Opponents

  • The amendment is unnecessary: state law already requires the pamphlet to include each measure's text along with a neutral explanatory statement, and the county makes the full language available. The fear that an amendment could be voided is precautionary; no Washington appellate decision has been identified holding that such an omission invalidates a county charter amendment. 'The Charter should establish the framework of county government' rather than dictate how the pamphlet is printed. · Jim Stoffer, 'Against' committee (official voters' pamphlet statement)

In the news

Written by SpectrumVote from 5 linked sources (1, 2, 3, 4, 5). Arguments are each side's own, not ours; the official text is what you vote on.

Background

The 2025 Clallam County Charter Review Commission, a body elected by county voters, adopted Resolution No. 5 on December 22, 2025, proposing this amendment to Charter Section 11.20.10.

The resolution's findings state that the County Auditor has not always included the full text of proposed Charter amendments in the local voters' pamphlet, and that the Prosecuting Attorney has opined that only 'the text,' not the full text, must be included.

The Commission found the difference between 'the full text' and 'the text' too vague, and proposed adding one sentence to the Charter: 'The full text of any proposed Charter amendment shall be printed in the local voters' pamphlet.'

The resolution says the change is meant to reduce the risk of a voter-approved amendment being voided and to give county voters the same opportunity to review proposed text that state law provides for statewide measures.

Put on the ballot by 2025 Clallam County Charter Review Commission, December 22, 2025 (Resolution No. 5).

From official source.

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Quick answers

What does a YES vote on Clallam County Proposed Amendment No. 3 mean?
The full text of all proposed Clallam County charter amendments would have to be printed in the local voters' pamphlet.
What does a NO vote on Clallam County Proposed Amendment No. 3 mean?
Clallam County's charter would not require printing the full text of proposed amendments in the voters' pamphlet.
What's the difference between 'the text' and 'the full text'?
The commission found the distinction too vague. The Prosecuting Attorney's view is that the pamphlet must include the text of a measure but not necessarily its full text; this amendment would require the complete wording of every proposed charter amendment to be printed.
Does this change any county services or taxes?
No. It only changes what must be printed in the local voters' pamphlet for proposed charter amendments.
Who wrote the neutral explanation?
The official explanatory statement was written by Clallam County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Dee Boughton. It says the change would be consistent with how proposed statewide initiatives are treated in the state voters' pamphlet.
How many votes does Clallam County Proposed Amendment No. 3 need to pass?
A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.
Should I vote yes or no on Clallam County Proposed Amendment No. 3?
SpectrumVote doesn't endorse anyone or tell you how to vote. Read what a YES and a NO vote each do, and the official text, then decide based on what you want to happen.
When is the vote?
The general election was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Counts are unofficial until each state certifies its results over the following weeks; your state or county election office has the official results.

Not sure how to decide? Read our nonpartisan guide to the Clallam County ballot.

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