Vancouver, Wash. ‒ Every election, the Clark County Auditor’s Office provides an online voters’ guide with information about candidates and ballot measures for voters to make informed decisions when completing their ballots. The voters’ guide includes statements by and photographs of candidates for elective offices as well as local ballot measures with supporting and opposing statements written by citizens.

A legislative body placing a measure on the ballot can appoint a committee to write a supporting statement and another committee to write an opposing statement. But often, the Elections Office receives only a supporting argument for a local ballot measure. If the group cannot identify anyone to oppose the ballot measure, no opposing statement is written or submitted.

If the Elections Office does not receive a supporting or opposing statement for a local ballot measure, the staff attempts to identify citizens interested in authoring such a statement. For the Feb. 12, 2019,  election, the Elections Office has received eight propositions:

• A ballot proposition from Ridgefield School District for a bond
• Two propositions from Hockinson School District for an expiring levy and a technology levy
• Two propositions for Evergreen Public Schools for an enrichment levy and a technology levy
• A proposition for La Center School District for a replacement levy
• Two propositions for Vancouver Public Schools for an expiring levy and for a technology levy.

Committees have been appointed to write statements supporting these measures, but Vancouver Public Schools and La Center, Hockinson and Ridgefield school districts have not been able to identify people to write statements against their measures.

To review the complete text of the resolution, ballot language and other resolutions for the February special election ballot, visit clarkvotes.org and follow the link to Feb. 12, 2019, Special Election Information located near the top of the page.

Any resident who is a member of one of the school districts who wants to write an opposing statement is asked to contact Cathie Garber of the Clark County Elections Department at (564) 397-2345. Please call soon; the deadline is 4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 21. Writers must live within the boundaries of the school district for which they are crafting the opposing statement.

“The public is best served by providing information which presents a fair and balanced debate on the merits of local measures submitted for a vote,” said Auditor Greg Kimsey. “We urge anyone interested to help us get their opposing statements to these local measures into the online voters’ guide."

CONTACT
Cathie Garber
Elections director
Elections
360.397.2345