Put the Sheriff
Back on the Ballot.

The Office of Sheriff was created by Washington State Constitution, Article 11, Section 5, to wit, “County government. The legislature, by general and uniform laws, shall provide for the election in the several counties of boards of county commissioners, sheriffs, county clerks, treasurers, prosecuting attorneys and other county, township or precinct and district officers, as public convenience may require, and shall prescribe their duties, and fix their terms of office…”

There is hereby created the executive department Office of Sheriff. The Sheriff shall be a nonpartisan position, elected by the voters of the County and shall serve full time.

Effective January 1, 2027, the Sheriff shall cease to be an elective office, and the current term of office shall terminate. The Sheriff shall be appointed by the Executive and confirmed by a majority of the Council.

No person shall be allowed to serve in County elective office for more than two consecutive 4-year terms in the same position as a Councilmember or Executive. No person shall be allowed to serve in County elective office for more than three consecutive 4-year terms in the same position as Sheriff, Assessor-Treasurer or Auditor. Service as the Assessor-Treasurer or Auditor prior to January 1, 2009, shall be counted as part of such consecutive terms. Establishment of residency in an alternate district will not circumvent this restriction.

Subsection (1)(e) is amended so that the personnel-system exemption applies to those employees of the Office of Sheriff — rather than the “Executive Department” of Sheriff — to the extent required by State law. All other exemptions in Section 7.20 remain unchanged.

Legal representation and advice shall be supplied to the Sheriff through the office of Prosecuting Attorney. Notwithstanding, the Sheriff may employ or retain his or her own legal representation whenever he or she deems necessary.

If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.

The sponsor of the initiative shall be the people's agent to defend the law enacted by the voters in any lawsuit or appeal.

This Act takes effect upon Auditor certification of the November 2027 General Election.

Upon voter approval of this Act and immediately upon Auditor certification of election all authority of any unelected sheriff of the executive department shall cede to the Office of Sheriff and into which Office the last elected Sheriff of Pierce County shall be immediately sworn to term ending December 31, 2028.