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

What it does

Proposed Amendments to the Snohomish County Charter Proposition No. 4 Increasing Public Access to County Financial Transparency The Snohomish County Charter Review Commission has proposed an amendment to the county charter concerning the availability of public access to county financial information. This proposition would add a new section to Article 6 of the Snohomish County Charter. This proposition requires Snohomish County to make available, where reasonably practicable through existing systems or future modernization efforts, all financial information legally available within the county. Should this proposition be enacted into law:

A YES vote means

Snohomish County would have to make all legally available county financial information public, where reasonably practicable through existing or future systems.

A NO vote means

Snohomish County's charter would not add this financial transparency requirement.

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 22, sponsored by Charter Review Commissioner Janelle Cass; on May 13, 2026, a staff member from the County Executive's office presented a fiscal impact memo to the Commission, according to the minutes.

After a public hearing on May 20, 2026, the Commission voted 10 to 2 to send the proposal to the November ballot, with Commissioners Chatters and McGee voting no.

The amendment would add a new Section 6.130 requiring the county to maintain publicly accessible, searchable and downloadable financial transparency tools covering agreements that distribute county-administered funds, including funding amounts, recipients, agreement terms and county audit findings when legally permissible.

The text directs that implementation prioritize existing systems, minimize burden on contractors and funding recipients, and allow phased implementation as county systems are modernized.

Put on the ballot by Snohomish County Charter Review Commission, 10–2, May 20, 2026 (Proposal 22).

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. 3 — Converting All Elected County Offices to Non-partisan Offices
• 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. 4 mean?

Snohomish County would have to make all legally available county financial information public, where reasonably practicable through existing or future systems.

What does a NO vote on Snohomish County Proposition No. 4 mean?

Snohomish County's charter would not add this financial transparency requirement.

How many votes does Snohomish County Proposition No. 4 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. 4?

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.