§ 87.03.085 — Post-organization district elections—Election boards—Notice.

Washington § 87.03.085

• Jurisdiction: Washington
• Title 87: IRRIGATION
• Ch. 87.03: IRRIGATION DISTRICTS GENERALLY

Text

(1) Fifteen days before any election held under this chapter, subsequent to the organization of any district, the secretary of the board of directors shall cause notices to be posted in three public places in each election precinct, of the time and place of holding the election. The secretary shall also post a general notice of the same in the office of the board, which shall be established and kept at some fixed place to be determined by the board, specifying the polling places of each precinct. Prior to the time for posting the notices, the board must appoint for each precinct, from the electors thereof, one inspector and two judges, who shall constitute a board of election for the precinct. If the board fails to appoint a board of election, or the members appointed do not attend at the opening of the polls on the morning of election, the electors of the precinct present at that hour may appoint the board, or supply the place of an absent member thereof. The board of directors must, in its order appointing the board of election, designate the house or place within the precinct where the election must be held. However, in any irrigation district that is less than 200,000 acres in size and is divided into director divisions, the board of directors in its discretion may designate one polling place within the district to serve more than one election precinct. The board of directors of any irrigation district may designate the principal business office of the district as a polling place to serve one or more election precincts and may do so regardless of whether the business office is located within or outside of the boundaries of the district. If the board of directors does designate a single polling place for more than one election precinct, then the election officials appointed by the board of directors may serve more than one election precinct and the election officials may be electors of any of the election precincts for which they are the election board.

(2)(a) The following additional notice requirements apply to districts that qualify and have designated their own treasurer as provided in RCW 87.03.440 :

(i) The district must annually notify qualified electors, either by mail, electronic communication, or by posting on the district's website, of the following:

(A) The names of the board of directors and dates their terms expire;

(B) The method and deadline for declaring candidacy under RCW 87.03.075 ; and

(C) A description of the district voting procedure and how the qualified elector may request an absentee ballot, if the district is not using the mail-in ballot procedure.

(ii) The district will use its assessment roll, toll and charge roll, or other district records to provide notice to known qualified electors and may also use the county assessor's or other public records to assist in determining qualified electors.

(iii) A district that makes water deliveries to an entity which is responsible for paying assessments or tolls and charges and that entity subsequently distributes that water to lands within the entity's jurisdiction is only required to provide the annual notice to the entity paying the assessment or toll and charge.

(iv) Any person who becomes a qualified elector after the annual notice required by this section and before a subsequent election is eligible to vote in the election. Receiving or not receiving the annual notice provided in this section does not affect whether the person or entity is a qualified elector.

(b) Each district must establish and maintain election information on a website, either individually or through the Washington state water resources association, in order to communicate with qualified electors. The website must include, but is not limited to, the names of the board of directors, district election rules provided in this chapter, information on elections including election results, and contact information for the district.

Legislative History

[2025 c 191 s 8;1987 c 123 s 1;1984 c 168 s 2; 1889-90 p 674 s 5; RRS s 7422. Formerly RCW87.01.140.]