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Ballot question

City of Everett Proposition 263: limit civil service rules to police and fire hiring

On the ballot in
City of Everett
Vote
Yes or no
Election
Nov 3, 2026

The question, as printed on the ballot

City of Everett Proposition No. 263 Amendment to Everett City Charter Section 8.3 The amendment to Section 8.3 would revise the City's Civil Service rules so that the Civil Service Commission's responsibilities are consistent with the requirements of state law. Should this amendment to the Everett City Charter be enacted into law?

A “Yes” vote means

The charter would require civil service rules only for hiring police officers and firefighters, as state law requires.

A “No” vote means

The charter would continue to require civil service procedures for most city positions.

Official plain English statement

The City of Everett's Charter requires the City to have a Charter Review Committee to review the City Charter every 10 years to make recommendations to the City Council for proposed amendments. The Council can adopt those suggestions or modify those suggestions and have then proposed amendments placed on the ballot or reject the Committee's suggestions. Washington state law requires municipal governments to adopt Civil Service rules to govern the hiring of police officers and firefighters. Currently, the City Charter goes beyond these regulations, requiring the City to apply Civil Service procedures for the majority of City positions. Proposition 263 would adopt the Charter Committee's recommendation to revise the Charter to only require the City to use Civil Service rules when hiring police officers and firefighters. All other hiring would still be required to comply with all other provisions of state law and any requirements found in union contracts. This change would allow the City to adopt modern hiring practices while retaining civil service oversite of police and fire hiring.

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.