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.01.1•Psyj MRSC <br /> 4 <br /> Local Government Success <br /> Council Election by Wards or Districts <br /> This page provides an overview of city council wards and districts in Washington State,including how to establish or <br /> abolish districts and a list of all cities MRSC is aware of that have established wards or districts. <br /> Overview <br /> While many cities in Washington elect all their city councilmembers at-large,others have chosen to establish wards <br /> or districts,in which some or all of the councilmembers are elected by and represent specific geographic areas of the <br /> city. <br /> The establishment of wards or districts is specifically authorized by RCW 35A.12.180 for code cities and RCW <br /> 35.23.051 for second class cities,while first class cities may adopt districts by charter. <br /> Establishing City Council Wards or Districts <br /> Dividing a city into districts (wards) is specifically authorized by RCW 35A.12.180 as long as it not done within three <br /> months of a municipal general election. <br /> The process for establishing a ward or district system is fairly straight-forward. RCW 35A.12.180 provides that the first <br /> step is for the council to pass an ordinance establishing a ward or district system;there is no required public vote on <br /> the matter,although the council could choose to conduct an advisory election on the issue.The council will need to <br /> decide how many districts it wants to establish and whether it wants any at-large positions.For example,the council <br /> could establish seven districts with one councilmember per district,or it could establish five or six districts and one or <br /> two at-large positions,or it could establish three districts with two councilmembers for each district,and one at-large <br /> position,etc.The councilmembers that are elected by district would be chosen at the primary election only by voters <br /> in their districts and then by all the voters at the general election unless the city had prior to January 1,1994,limited <br /> the voting in the general election for any or all council positions only to the voters residing within the ward associated <br /> with that council position. If a city had limited the voting in the general election only to voters residing within the <br /> ward,then the city is authorized to continue to do so. <br /> RCW 35.23.051 provides a similar process for second class cities. <br /> The bulk of the work in establishing a ward/district system would be,of course,in determining district boundaries. <br /> RCW 35A.12.180 provides that"The representation of each ward in the city council shall be in proportion to the <br /> population as nearly as is practicable:It does not say anything about how to go about establishing the boundaries of <br /> the districts,but it requires that,when districts are redrawn,the redrawing of boundaries should be done according to <br /> Ch. 29A.76 RCW. RCW 29A.76.010 states that the redistricting is to be"based on population information from the <br /> most recent federal decennial census:So,presumably,the initial establishment of a ward/district system would use <br /> federal census data,along with any other sources that would make that data more current. <br /> 57 <br />