The Gist
Home

Ballot question

Clallam County Charter Amendment 2: ethics review board

On the ballot in
Clallam County
Vote
Yes or no
Election
Nov 3, 2026

The question, as printed on the ballot

The Clallam County Charter Review Commission adopted Resolution No. 4 concerning establishment of a Clallam County Ethics Review Board. This proposition would amend Article VIII of the Clallam County Charter to require the establishment of an ethics review board responsible for reviewing complaints of alleged violations of the Clallam County Code of Ethics by elected county officials. Board members would be appointed by designated elected county officials according to eligibility requirements and serve without compensation. The board would adopt rules governing the handling of complaints. Board findings would be published on the county's website. Should this proposition be:

A “Yes” vote means

The charter requires a three-member ethics review board to review complaints that elected county officials broke the county ethics code and publish its findings; it cannot impose penalties.

A “No” vote means

The charter does not create an ethics review board; the existing county ethics code stays in place.

Official plain English statement

The current Clallam County Code includes a code of ethics that applies to all county personnel, including elected county officials. If adopted, this measure would amend Article VIII of the Clallam County Charter to require the establishment of an independent ethics review board which would be responsible for reviewing complaints of alleged violations of the county's code of ethics by elected county officials. The ethics review board would consist of three members, one from each of the county commissioner districts. Board members would be appointed by designated independently elected county officials and would serve staggered three-year terms without compensation. The ethics review board would establish rules of procedure governing the submission and handling of complaints, receive and review complaints, determine whether complaints fall within the jurisdiction of the board, conduct impartial reviews, and issue written findings. The board would not impose penalties or sanctions. All findings of the ethics review board would be publicly available and posted on the county website.

Sources

The question and plain English statement are copied word for word from official election materials. The Gist does not take a side on ballot questions.