Next Steps for Annexation

As you’re probably aware, the annexation vote count is now just under 60% approval – and 60% is required on a vote that combines assumption of a share of the city’s bonded indebtedness along with approval of annexation and the proposed zoning code (the last two would only require 50% if voted on separately). It’s possible that as the last few ballots are counted (late-arriving ballots from overseas voters, and ballots that were originally challenged for missing or mismatched signatures that are being “cured”) that the count could edge back above 60%, but it might not – and we need to be thinking now about possible actions if the vote is certified on November 24 at less than 60% approval.

 The first decision to make is whether or not to request a recount. State law does not mandate automatic recounts on local ballot measures, no matter how close the vote, so a recount is only conducted if requested by a group of voters willing to pay for the full cost of the recount – estimated at $7,000 for a machine recount for all the ballots in PAA precincts, $23,000 for a hand recount. In a machine recount, all the ballots from the annexation area would be run through the counting machine again, but with a special setting turned on so that ballots on which the machine doesn’t recognize either a Yes or No vote for annexation would be separated out for hand-checking. It’s possible that some voters might have used the wrong color pen, or marked their vote with an “X”, slash, checkmark, or something else other than filing in the entire bubble – all of which would be counted as votes in the recount even though they weren’t in the original count. Of course, it’s possible that these votes could be “No” votes and make things worse, but they could be “Yes” votes, too. We’d have to put down a deposit of about $1,600 by November 27 in order to start the machine recount. If the recount changed the result (pushed the count back above 60%), we wouldn’t have to pay anything, and the deposit would be refunded – but if the result didn’t change, the rest of the full cost of the recount would be due.

 If we don’t do a recount, or if the result doesn’t change, the next action would be to ask the city council to accept the annexation anyway. State law (RCW 35A.14.085) says that even if a combined vote on annexation and debt assumption fails to get the required 60% of the vote, so long as the result is 50% or more, the city council can still vote to accept the annexation without the debt assumption (it’s the debt assumption component that causes the 60% requirement). Previous Kirkland city councils have done exactly that – when annexation areas have voted positively on annexation but not accepted debt assumption, the council has gone ahead with annexation anyway. Annexation was supported by nearly 60% of the voters in the PAA, and the impact of the PAA not assuming a portion of the city’s bonded debt is small (the property tax for debt repayment for existing city property owners would have decreased from 16 cents to 11 cents per thousand dollars valuation; that 5 cents is only about 0.6% of the total property tax rate in the city). So the council may once again make a similar decision – but there’s no guarantee, as there would be if the vote were above 60%.

 If you think Citizens for One Kirkland should request a recount and are willing to pledge a contribution toward the $7,000 cost, please email onekirkland@yahoo.com and let us know. No need to send money now – but we need to know if there’s a willingness to fund the recount should that decision be made next week.