with three commissioner positions is coextensive with the boundaries of a county that has a population of less than five hundred thousand and the county has three county legislative authority districts, the port commissioner districts shall be the county legislative authority districts. In other instances where a port district is divided into commissioner districts, the port commission shall divide the port district into commissioner districts unless the commissioner districts have been described pursuant to *RCW 53.04.031. The commissioner districts shall be altered as provided in chapter 53.16 RCW.
Commissioner districts shall be used as follows: (a) Only a registered voter who resides in a commissioner district may be a candidate for, or hold office as, a commissioner of the commissioner district; and (b) only the voters of a commissioner district may vote at a primary to nominate candidates for a commissioner of the commissioner district. Voters of the entire port district may vote at a general election to elect a person as a commissioner of the commissioner district.
(2) In port districts with five commissioners, two of the commissioner districts may include the entire port district if approved by the voters of the district either at the time of formation or at a subsequent port district election at which the issue is proposed pursuant to a resolution adopted by the board of commissioners and delivered to the county auditor. [1994 c 223 §81; 1992c 146 §1; 1991 c 363 §128; 1965 c 51 §1; 1959 c 17 §3. Prior: 1913 c 62 §2: 1911 c 92 §3; RRS §9690.]
NOTES:
"Reviser's note: 1994 c 223 §81 referred to "section 81 of this act," which appears to be incorrect. The reference has been codified as if it were to section 83, which deals with commissioner districts described in the initiating petition.
Purpose - Captions not law-1991 c 363: See notes following RCW2.32.180.
53.12.021 Elimination of commissioner districts.
Any less than county-wide port district that uses commissioner districts may cease using commissioner districts as provided in this section.
A ballot proposition authorizing the elimination of commissioner districts shall be submitted to the voters of a less than county-wide port district that is divided into commissioner districts if (1) a petition is submitted to the port commission proposing that the port district cease using commissioner districts, that is signed by registered voters of the port district equal in number to at least ten percent of the number of voters who voted at the last district general election; or (2) the port commissioners adopt a resolution proposing that the port district cease using commissioner districts. The port commission shall transfer the petition or resolution immediately to the county auditor who shall, when a petition is submitted, review the signatures and certify its sufficiency. A ballot proposition authorizing the elimination of commissioner districts shall be submitted at the next district general election occurring sixty or more days after a petition with sufficient signatures was submitted. If the ballot proposition authorizing the port district to cease using commissioner districts is approved by a simple majority vote, the port district shall cease using commissioner districts at all subsequent elections. [1994 c 223 §82.]
53.12.061 Elections to conform with general election law.
All elections relating to a port district shall conform with general election law, except as expressly provided in Title 53 RCW. [1992 c 146 §5.]
53.12.115 Increasing number of commissioners - Resolution, petition - Ballot proposition.
A ballot proposition shall be submitted to the voters of any port district authorizing an increase in the number of port commissioners to five whenever the port commission adopts a resolution proposing the increase in number of port commissioners or a petition proposing such an increase has been submitted to the county auditor of the county in which the port district is located that has been signed by voters of the port district at least equal in number to ten percent of the number of voters in the port district who voted at the last general election. The ballot proposition shall be submitted at the next general or special election occurring sixty or more days after the petition was submitted or resolution was adopted.
At the next general or special election following the election in which an increase in the number of port commissioners was authorized, candidates for the two additional port commissioner positions shall be elected as provided in RCW 53.12.130, and the voters may be asked to approve the nomination of commissioners from district-wide commissioner districts as permitted in RCW 53.12.010 (2). [1994 c 223 §86; 1992 c 146 §7.]
53.12.120 Increasing number of commissioners - Population requirements - Ballot proposition - Election of added commissioner.
When the population of a port district that has three commissioners reaches five hundred thousand, in accordance with the latest United States regular or special census or with the official state population estimate, there shall be submitted to the voters of the district, at the next district general election or at a special port election called for that purpose, the proposition of increasing the number of commissioners to five.
At the next district general election following the election in which an increase in the number of port commissioners was authorized, candidates for the two additional port commissioner positions shall be elected as provided in RCW 53.12.130. [1994 c 223 §87; 1992 c 146 §8; 1982 c 219 §1; 1965 c 5 c 175 §3; 1959 c 17 §10. Prior; 1953 c 198 §1; 1913 c 62 §2, part: 1911 c 92 §3, part; RRS §9690, part.]
53.12.130 Increasing number of commissioners - Election of additional commissioners - Commencement and terms of office.
Two additional port commissioners shall be elected at the next district general election following the election at which voters authorized the increase in port commissioners to five members.
The port commissioners shall divide the port district into five commissioner districts prior to the first day of June in the year in which the two additional commissioners shall be elected. unless the voters approved the nomination of the two atldi-
