King County Legislative Records
Under territorial law, the administration of each organized county in Washington was placed in an elected three-member board of county commissioners. This was true until 1948, when Washington State passed home rule legislation that permitted county citizens to create and adopt different governance structures.
King County's home rule charter, adopted by a vote of the people in 1968, provided for a nine-member county council, which now serves as the legislative branch of county government. The first county council was sworn in on May 1, 1969.
The different forms of government resulted in different forms of legislative files. Today, the King County Council issues ordinances (laws) and motions (policy statements). Previously, the King County Board of Commissioners issued resolutions (authorizing expenditures, or granting privileges). Commissioners' resolutions were officially part of its proceedings, the legal, evidentiary record of all actions taken by the Commissioners.
Ordinances and Motions after May 1, 1969
Ordinances 13234 to current number (2000 to present):
King County Council - Clerk of the Council
- Texts, supporting documentation, legislative histories, indexes to all ordinances, searchable database (2000 to present).
Ordinances 1 to 13233 (1969 to 2000):
King County Archives
- Texts, supporting documentation, legislative histories, electronic index.
Motions to current number ( to present):
King County Council - Clerk of the Council
- Texts, supporting documentation, legislative histories, indexes to all ordinances, online index (2000 to present).
Motions 1 to (1969 to 1998):
King County Archives
- Texts, supporting documentation, legislative histories, electronic index.
Commissioners' Resolutions, 1853-April 30, 1969
Resolutions 1 - 37119 :
King County Archives
- Texts; some supporting documentation and histories, electronic indexes.
Historical county zoning resolutions were enacted as Commissioner Resolutions. These codes are sometimes referenced on old property documents. If you are looking for zoning code resolutions 6494, 11373, 12424, 18801, or 25789, please visit our page, Historical Zoning Records in King County, for information and online texts.
Commissioners' Proceedings, 1853 - April 30, 1969
Proceedings volume 1 - 74 (1853-1963); volume 1- 23 (1963-1969).
King County Archives
Not all actions of the County Commissioners were documented by resolutions. The Commissioners' Proceedings contain the texts of orders (for example, road vacation orders) and results of authorizing votes. Two types of entries in the proceedings are indexed electronically (resolutions and miscellaneous).
The handwritten Index to Commissioners' Records (1853 -1969) provides lists of names, topics and location information for entries in the Commissioners' Proceedings. It also provides information about other associated record series that further detail commissioner actions. The index consists of 18 volumes arranged in various formats over time. For the most part, the following information is presented in alphabetical and chronological line entries: personal, corporate or agency name; subject; year; proceedings volume and page; remarks (commissioner action taken or other details); and record series file numbers. At times, Commissioner Actions included referral to another county body (e.g. the engineer or prosecuting attorney). Some associated records pertaining to the matters brought before the County Commissioners were retained by the commissioners or the county agency involved. Many were not retained, as the Proceedings entries themselves were considered to constitute legal sufficiency.
Please contact the Archives regarding searches of the Commissioners' Proceedings and the associated index.
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