Community Members Invited to Apply for Pro/Con Committee for Upcoming Districting Ballot Measure

On October 8, 2024, the City of Richland received a petition to amend the Richland City Charter to move from at-large to district-based elections for members of Richland City Council.

On October 17, 2024, the Richland City Clerk issued a Certificate of Sufficiency confirming that the petition to amend the Richland City Charter to establish five (5) district-based council seats contained the requisite number of valid signatures to advance to a vote per RCW 35.22.120. The proposed amendment to the City Charter will appear on the Nov. 4, 2025, General Election ballot.

If approved by the voters, the amendment would modify Section 2.01 to the City Charter to allow election by district for some members of the Richland City Council. 

As part of the ballot measure process, Washington State law (RCW 29A.32.280) allows cities to seek residents to be appointed to serve on either the Pro or Con Committee for each ballot measure. 

To be eligible for appointment, individuals must reside within the jurisdictional boundaries of Richland.  Committee member names must be approved by City Council and submitted to the Benton County Elections Office by August 5, 2025.

Once appointed, both committees work independently of the City to prepare a written statement advocating either approval or rejection of the ballot measure to appear in the Benton County Voter’s Pamphlet. Committee members’ names will be included with the statement. The committees will also have an opportunity to prepare and submit a rebuttal in response to the statement prepared by the opposition.

• Initial pro/con committee statements are due by August 15, 2025.
• Rebuttal pro/con committee statements are due by August 20, 2025.
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Interested residents can apply for either the Pro or Con Committee by completing the on-line application located here by Thursday, July 18, 2025 at 5 p.m. City Council will appointment members at a special meeting held on July 22, 2025 at 6:00 p.m.