Voter turnout could trip 2021 elections

Jana Mathia, Whitman County Gazette | Dec 24, 20200

COLFAX — The Nov. 3 general election saw a high voter turnout of 86.4%, far higher than in previous years.

While that speaks highly of voter involvement in the election, it could mean snags for measures on the ballot in 2021 due to validation requirements.

Bonds, including street maintenance and operation levies, require a voter turnout of at least 40% of the most recent general election to be validated.

That could be a problem for any municipality running on the 2021 ballot, based on past issue that have passed, yet failed for lack of validation.

Towns wanting to run levy proposals in 2021 do so at the risk of paying for the run, but not getting enough voters to validate the issues, even if it passes.

This was an issue in 2017 for Pullman after the presidential election in 2016. Pullman had two bond measures topping 60% supermajority approval, but failed to meet the 40% voter turnout validation requirement.

Two towns had propositions fail in the November 2020 election, Farmington and Rosalia. It is up to the town councils when or if they will make another attempt.

On Nov. 3, each town had about 90% turnout — 91% in Farmington and 87% in Rosalia. On Nov. 6, 2019, voter turnout was 60% and 50%, respectively.

Following last month’s election, Farmington would need 38 voters and Rosalia 133 to validate measures. The towns did have more than that in the general election in November 2019, but special elections traditional have lower turnout.

The validation requirement applies to all elections throughout the year, including the next general election.

Fortunately, that is not as much of an issue for small jurisdictions as larger ones, according to Municipal Research and Services Center Senior Communications Coordinator Steve Hawley.

He wrote a story, “Ballot Measures Part 1: Affordable Housing Taxes, Revenue Measures, and Low Voter Turnout,” on Washington cities, including Pullman, that struggled with the validation requirement in 2017.

According to Nov. 3, 2020, election results, Pullman’s 29 precincts turned out 12,446 voters. To meet 40% turnout validation, the city would need 4,978 — more than the 4,864 who turned out for the 2019 general election.

Towns and cities can still pass measures if the approval is 60% of the validation number.

“For bonds, turnout must be at least 40% of the most recent general election. For some other measures, turnout must be at least 40% of the most recent general election or the number of yes votes must be at least 24% of the number of voters in the most recent general election (meaning the measure can pass with less than 40% turnout but the required “yes” percentage starts climbing above 60%),” Hawley wrote.

For example, a town with 100 votes cast in the 2020 general election would need 40 votes to validate in 2021. Of those 40 votes, 24 would been to approve to gain the 60% supermajority. If less than 40 voted, the town would still need 24 “yes” votes to pass.

Determining what the validation number is up to the individual taxing district.

While the county auditor generates the number of voters participating, the district has to determine whether or not it meets validation. The county auditor is not responsible for determining minimum turnout or yes votes required for ballot measures and shall not determine if ballot measures meet requirements for passage, according to state code.

Whitman County Auditor Sandy Jamison said the elections office does not call elections, only provides the numbers from the ballots cast.

Validation is required in a ballot measure if it is a bond or debt measure, or if it is a property requiring a supermajority to pass.