I’ve been asked by several citizens about how Battle Ground elects a Mayor. There appears to be confusion even among sitting Councilmembers about whether the voters in a Council-Manager form of city government may elect the Mayor. Reportedly, one Councilmember has said that it would be illegal for the council and/or city to have the Mayor be directly elected by the voters. I am not aware of any prohibition that would make this illegal. Indeed, RCW 35A.13.033 provides that the council may enact steps to start the process of having the Mayor (Chair) directly elected by the voters. If there is any authority to the contrary then I would welcome receiving it. All this being said, I find it very troubling that some Councilmembers may not have been aware of this statute and that their own misunderstanding may have led them to vote for the recent change in how the Mayor is chosen. While the Mayor has mostly ceremonial duties, it’s a position and title that comes with a certain public trust. I believe due to the size of our city and in the spirit of transparency and accountability, Battle Ground is ready for the voters to directly elect the Mayor.
Posted on: Fri, 02 Aug 2013 16:33:29 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015