State of Washington & San Juan County Voters’ Pamphlet November 3, 2015 General Election Your ballot will arrive by October 20 (800) 448-4881 | www.vote.wa.gov PublishedIN CELEBRATION by the Offi ce of the Secretary of State & County50 years Name of the Voting Here Rights Act 2 Message from Secretary of State Kim Wyman I’m pleased to present you the 2015 General Election Voters’ Pamphlet. This important election features local races and measures that will have a signifi cant impact on you and our local communities. Voters will determine the outcome of local measures and elect offi cials to serve on city councils, school boards, fi re, and port commissions. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, the landmark federal law that prohibits racial discrimination in voting in America. On the back cover, you’ll see the winning artwork from this year’s Kids’ Art Contest. The theme, “Every Vote is Equal,” celebrated 50 years of this key legislation. The Voters’ Pamphlet cover features the naturalization ceremony in Seattle on July 4. I was honored to again take part in this special event and watch as hundreds of people from over 80 nations proudly became American citizens. I was inspired to see many of these new citizens register to vote so they can have their voices heard and exercise this fundamental freedom cherished by so many of us. If you are not a registered voter and want to vote in this fall’s election, you have until October 26 to register at your county elections offi ce. You can have your voice heard and make a difference by voting in this fall’s election. I encourage you to take a moment to read through the Voters’ Pamphlet and other helpful information and then fi ll out your ballot and return it by November 3. Make an impact on your community and our state by voting this fall! Kim Wyman Secretary of State About the cover The photo on the cover was taken by Secretary of State Kim Wyman at a July 4 naturalization ceremony in Seattle, in which Secretary Wyman participated. Hundreds of people from more than 80 nations became U.S. citizens and later registered to vote that day. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the federal Voting Rights Act that prohibits racial discrimination in voting. We’re celebrating this major achievement in equality and the voice it gives all citizens. Find us at “WA Secretary of State” Find us at “SecStateWA” and “Washington State Elections” 3 November 3, 2015 General Election Table of contents Voting in Washington State . 4 Presidential Primary . 5 Accessible Pamphlets . 6 Language Assistance . 6 Measures . 7 Initiative Measure No. 1366 . 8 Initiative Measure No. 1401 . 13 Advisory Votes . 16 San Juan County Voters’ Pamphlet . 27 More information Complete Text of Measures . 78 Contact Your County . 87 Who donates to campaigns? View financial contributors for candidates and measures: Public Disclosure Commission www.pdc.wa.gov Toll Free (877) 601-2828 4 VOTING IN WASHINGTON STATE Qualifications You must be at least 18 years old, a U.S. citizen, a resident of Washington State, and not under Department of Corrections supervision for a Washington State felony conviction. Register to vote & update your address The deadline to update your voting address has passed. Contact your former county elections department to request a ballot at your new address. New voters may register in person until October 26 at your county elections department. Military voters are exempt from voter registration deadlines. cAST yOur bAllot Your ballot will be Vote your ballot ... then return it by 1 mailed to the address 2 and sign your 3 mail or to an official you provide in your return envelope... ballot drop box by 8 voter registration. p.m. on November 3. vote by mail Where is my ballot? VIEW Your ballot will arrive by October 20. ElEcTION rESulTS If you need a replacement ballot, contact your county elections department listed WWW.VOTE.WA.GOV at the end of this pamphlet. or get the mobile app WA State Election Results 5 PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY — MAY 24, 2016 Washington will conduct a Presidential Primary Every Washington State voter will be mailed a Presidential Primary ballot. Make sure your Washington State voter registration address is up-to-date. Your ballot will list both Democratic and Republican party candidates; you may vote in only one party’s primary. 2016 Presidential Primary Timeline For information on party caucuses, please contact your party. April 25 – Deadline to update your voter registration information, register by mail or Political parties online before the Presidential Primary. May 6 – All Washington State voters will be Washington State Democrats mailed a Presidential Primary ballot. Check to PO Box 4027 ensure your mailing address is current at Seattle, WA 98194 www.myvote.wa.gov or by calling (206) 583-0664 (800) 448-4881. [email protected] www.wa-democrats.org May 16 – Last day to register to vote in the Presidential Primary. Applicants must appear in person at their county elections department. Washington State Republican Party 11811 NE 1st St, Ste A306 May 24 – Washington State’s Presidential Bellevue, WA 98005 Primary. Ballots must be returned to an offi cial (425) 460-0570 drop box by 8 p.m. or postmarked no later than [email protected] May 24. www.wsrp.org 6 Accessible pamphlets Audio and plain text voters’ pamphlets available at www.vote.wa.gov. No Internet access? To receive a copy on CD or USB drive, call (800) 448-4881. Language assistance Se habla español 中國口語 Việt Nam được nói Todos los votantes del estado 所有華盛頓州的選民都可在 Tất cả cử tri ở Tiểu Bang de Washington tienen acceso 網站 www.vote.wa.gov 查 Washington có thể truy cập al folleto electoral y a los 看中文選民手冊和選民登記 sách dành cho cử tri và đơn formularios de inscripción en 表格。 ghi danh cử tri bằng tiếng español por internet en 此外，金郡選民也可登記在 Việt trực tuyến tại www.vote.wa.gov. www.vote.wa.gov. 每次選舉前自動獲取中文選 Adicionalmente, los votantes Ngoài ra, cử tri ở Quận King de los condados de Yakima, 票和選民手冊。 có thể đăng ký để tự động Franklin y Adams recibirán su 如果您或您認識的人需要語 boleta y folleto electoral de nhận lá phiếu và sách dành 言協助，請致電 cho cử tri bằng tiếng Việt forma bilingüe antes de cada (800) 448-4881。 elección. trước mỗi cuộc bầu cử. Si usted o alguien que Nếu quý vị hoặc người nào conoce necesitan asistencia quý vị biết cần trợ giúp ngôn en español llame al ngữ, xin vui lòng gọi (800) 448-4881. (800) 448-4881. The federal Voting Rights Act requires translated elections materials. 7 THE balloT mEasurE PROCEss The Initiative The Referendum Any voter may propose an initiative Any voter may demand that a law to create a new state law or change proposed by the Legislature be referred an existing law. to voters before taking effect. Initiatives to the People Referendum Bills are proposed laws submitted are proposed laws the Legislature directly to voters. has referred to voters. Initiatives to the Legislature Referendum Measures are proposed laws submitted to the are laws recently passed by the Legislature. Legislature that voters have demanded be referred to the ballot. laWs by THE PEoPlE Before an Initiative to the People or an Before a Referendum Measure can appear Initiative to the Legislature can appear on the ballot, the sponsor must collect... on the ballot, the sponsor must collect... 123,186 vE oT rs' signaTurEs 4% of all votes in the last Governor’s race 246,372 Initiatives & Referenda vE oT rs' signaTurEs bCmE o E laW 8% of all votes in the last with a simple Governor’s race majoriTy voTE 8 Initiative Measure No. 1366 changed by a regular law. This means that neither the Initiative Measure No. legislature, nor the people through the initiative pro- cess, can pass a law that requires more votes in order for certain types of bills to pass. The only way to in- crease the number of votes needed for a bill to become a law is to amend the constitution. 1366 The constitution can only be amended if two-thirds of the members of each house of the legislature vote to concerns state taxes and fees. propose the amendment. The amendment must then be approved by a majority of the voters at the next This measure would decrease the sales tax general election. rate unless the legislature refers to voters a constitutional amendment requiring two-thirds The Effect of the Proposed Measure, if Approved legislative approval or voter approval to raise This measure would cut the state retail sales tax from taxes, and legislative approval for fee increases. 6.5% to 5.5% on April 15, 2016, unless the legislature first proposes a specific amendment to the state consti- Should this measure be enacted into law? tution. The proposed amendment must require that for any tax increase, either the voters approve the increase [ ] Yes or two-thirds of the members of each house of the leg- [ ] No islature approve the increase. It must also require the legislature to set the amount of any fee increases. If the legislature proposes the constitutional amend- ment before April 15, 2016, then the state retail sales tax would stay at 6.5%. The Secretary of State is not responsible for the content of statements If the legislature does not propose the constitutional or arguments (WAC 434-381-180). amendment and the state retail sales tax is reduced to 5.5%, that would cut the amount of taxes that indi- viduals and businesses pay for goods and services.