July 25, 2006
Executive Sims reaction to proposal for an elected elections auditor
"I am extremely disappointed in councilmembers who seem determined to politicize and destabilize the King County elections system. The end goal seems to be to derail all mail balloting.
"The proposal to put an elected auditor to a vote is full of irony, hypocrisy and inconsistency when you look at past statements, actions and inactions of councilmembers. I believe this is politically motivated to create doubt about an elections system that has made a remarkable turn around since the 2004 elections.
"The professionalism and improved elections systems just yesterday earned a national award for best practices on mail balloting.
"While an elected auditor might work for small counties with a few thousand ballots to count, 13 of the nation's 20 largest counties have hired elections professionals. We are second only to Los Angeles County in the number of mail ballots we count.
"Putting the issue of an elected auditor on the fall ballot outside of the charter review process is absurd. Yesterday the council unanimously approved hiring authority for the staff to begin the charter review, including the issue of whether the elections manager should be elected. On May 15 Councilmember Ferguson issued a press release touting his "action plan" for elections reform which included his proposal that the Charter Review Commission advise the council on the issue of an elected auditor.
"On June 19 council directed us to hire a director and a superintendent of elections before moving to all mail balloting. We are in final review of excellent candidates for both positions. Putting an elected auditor to a vote undermines this effort.
"All three outside review groups emphasized the need to consolidate elections operations, yet council balked and we lost our best, most cost-effective option. We are now in a council process that will cost us millions more than the option I proposed last year.
"Certain councilmembers have used one means after another to create doubt about our elections system and there is no other explanation than they are politicizing elections, not trying to improve it.
"Having an elected auditor here would be a huge step backward. I am ultimately accountable for elections, and we have made tremendous reforms in the last two years. We will proceed with reforms and all-mail balloting as directed by a majority of council. We are a modern government. We should act like one."
Related information
- Executive responds to councilmember push for elected county auditor, King County TV (Real Media)
