EVERETT – The 2026 Snohomish County Charter Review Commission will be holding a series of public hearings at different locations throughout the county to gather public comments on the proposed charter amendments. The Commission must vote on the final package of amendments by May 29th. The proposed amendments will then be transmitted to the County Council for additional public hearings and then sent to the voters in the November election.
The public hearing schedule will be as follows:
Wednesday May 13th –5:30 at Arlington City Hall, 238 N Olympia Ave, Arlington
Public Hearing on proposals 5 and 21
Wednesday May 20th – 5:30pm at Monroe City Hall, 806 W Main Street, Monroe
Public hearing on proposals 13, 14, and 22
Wednesday May 27th – 5:30 at Mountlake Terrace City Hall, 23204 58th Ave W, Mountlake
Terrace
Public hearing on the final package of amendments
The Charter Review Commission has narrowed down the proposals that could be sent to the
ballot to five. These include:
- Proposal 5- A proposal to make the offices of County Executive, County Prosector, and County
Councilmember nonpartisan - Proposal 13- A proposal that would require the County Council budget for foundational
government services before anything else - Proposal 14- A proposal to create a county budget stabilization fund for emergencies. Usage of
this money would require four affirmative votes from the County Council - Proposal 21- A proposal to raise the threshold to four affirmative votes of the County Council to
raise taxes - Proposal 22- The creation and expansion of a county financial transparency portal
More information on these proposals can be found at the Charter Review Commission website
below:
Charter Review Commission | Snohomish County, WA – Official Website
Snohomish County is one of seven charter counties in Washington State. The Snohomish County Charter was adopted in 1980 and amended in 1986, 1996, 2006, and 2016.
In the November 2025 General Election, the voters of Snohomish County elected a fifteen member Charter Review Commission tasked with reviewing the Snohomish County Charter to determine its adequacy and suitability of the needs of the county. The Charter Review Commission members serve an unpaid one-year term beginning January 1, 2026.
Source: Snohomish County Charter Review Commission
Author: Lynnwood Times Staff
