Section 42.12.080 - Filling nonpartisan vacancies-Special purpose districtsA vacancy on an elected nonpartisan governing body of a special purpose district where property ownership is not a qualification to vote or that is not a qualifying special purpose district defined in RCW 42.12.070, shall be filled as follows unless the provisions of law relating to the special purpose district provide otherwise:
(1) After a vacancy occurs, the remaining members of the governing body must nominate at least one candidate at a meeting of the governing body. The governing body must then cause notice of the vacancy and the name of the nominated candidate or candidates to be posted in three public places in the special purpose district, including on the district's website if the district has a website, for a minimum of 15 days. During the notice period, registered voters who reside in the special purpose district may submit nominations to the remaining members of the governing body.(2) After the notice period described in subsection (1) of this section, the remaining members of the governing body shall appoint a qualified person to fill the vacant position from the candidates nominated by either the governing body or the public at a meeting of the governing body.(3) Where two or more positions are vacant and two or more members of the governing body remain in office, the remaining members of the governing body shall appoint a qualified person to fill one of the vacant positions under the nomination process described in subsection (1) of this section, the remaining members of the governing body and the newly appointed person shall appoint another qualified person to fill another vacant position under the nomination process described in subsection (1) of this section, and so on until each of the vacant positions is filled with each of the new appointees participating in each appointment that is made after his or her appointment.(4) If less than two members of a governing body remain in office, the county legislative authority of the county in which all or the largest geographic portion of the special purpose district is located shall appoint a qualified person or persons to the governing body until the governing body has two members.(5) If a governing body fails to appoint a qualified person to fill a vacancy within 90 days of the occurrence of the vacancy, the authority of the governing body to fill the vacancy shall cease and the county legislative authority of the county in which all or the largest geographic portion of the special purpose district is located shall appoint a qualified person to fill the vacancy.(6) If the county legislative authority of the county fails to appoint a qualified person within 180 days of the occurrence of the vacancy, the county legislative authority or the remaining members of the governing body of the special purpose district may petition the governor to appoint a qualified person to fill the vacancy. The governor may appoint a qualified person to fill the vacancy after being petitioned if at the time the governor fills the vacancy the county legislative authority has not appointed a qualified person to fill the vacancy.(7) As provided in chapter 29A.24 RCW, each person who is appointed shall serve until a qualified person is elected at the next election at which a member of the governing body normally would be elected. The person elected shall take office immediately and serve the remainder of the unexpired term.Added by 2023 c 369,§ 2, eff. 7/23/2023.