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

What it does

Proposed Amendments to the Snohomish County Charter Proposition No. 3 Converting All Elected County Offices to Non-partisan Offices The Snohomish County Charter Review Commission has proposed an amendment to the county charter concerning non-partisanship in all elected county offices. This proposition would require that all candidates for a Snohomish County elected office appear on the ballot without a political party designation and that all elected county offices be non-partisan offices. This proposition would amend Section 4.15 and Section 4.80 of the County Charter. Should this proposition be enacted into law:

A YES vote means

All Snohomish County elected offices would become nonpartisan, and candidates would appear on the ballot without a party designation.

A NO vote means

Snohomish County elected offices would not all become nonpartisan.

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

Background

This amendment began as proposal 5 before the 2026 Snohomish County Charter Review Commission, sponsored by Commissioner James, according to the commission's proposal list.

The charter currently makes the treasurer, auditor, assessor, sheriff and clerk non-partisan; the proposed text would make all elected county offices non-partisan and have the council fill all vacancies directly rather than from a list submitted by the departing official's party.

Under the transition section, council districts 2 and 3 and the county executive would be non-partisan starting in 2027, districts 1, 4 and 5 in 2029, and the prosecuting attorney in 2030.

After a public hearing on May 13, 2026, the commission voted 9-3 to send the proposal to the November ballot (no: Commissioners Chatters, McGee and Dodd), according to the meeting minutes.

Put on the ballot by Snohomish County Charter Review Commission, 9-3, May 13, 2026.

From official source 1, official source 2, official source 3, official source 4.

Next elections here

• 2028 presidential election · Who has filed so far, from FEC filings

Also on Snohomish County ballots

• Snohomish County Proposition No. 1 — Adoption of a Foundational Government Services Policy
• Snohomish County Proposition No. 2 — Prioritize Funding of Budget Stabilization Funds
• Snohomish County Proposition No. 4 — Increasing Public Access to County Financial Transparency
• Snohomish County Proposition No. 5 — Requiring a 4/5 Supermajority Council Vote to Increase Taxes

All Snohomish County races and measures →

Quick answers

What does a YES vote on Snohomish County Proposition No. 3 mean?

All Snohomish County elected offices would become nonpartisan, and candidates would appear on the ballot without a party designation.

What does a NO vote on Snohomish County Proposition No. 3 mean?

Snohomish County elected offices would not all become nonpartisan.

How many votes does Snohomish County Proposition 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 Snohomish County Proposition 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.