Thurston County commission moves forward with plans to expand to 5 members next year
Correction: The Port of Olympia is still considering a joint resolution with the Thurston Board of County Commissioners to simultaneously submit ballot measures that would expand their respective commissions. A previous version of this article erroneously stated the Port of Olympia had approved the resolution.
Thurston County and the Port of Olympia are working toward a joint plan to expand their respective commissions to five members next year.
The Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved a joint resolution with the Port of Olympia Commission on Tuesday. The Port of the Olympia is still considering the resolution, according to a county news release.
The resolution states both governing bodies intend to collaborate on efforts to redraw district boundaries and add two seats to each commission.
However, this collaboration is contingent on the county’s population reaching 300,000 by May 2, 2022, which is the deadline for adopting precinct boundary changes before the 2022 general election.
Thurston County’s population grew by 16.9% — 42,529 new residents — to 294,793 between 2010 and 2020, according to the U.S. Census. Much of that growth involved people who identify as Hispanic or two or more races, meaning the population diversified.
Once the county reaches the 300,000-population threshold, Washington state law allows the county commission to submit a ballot measure to voters that proposes the expansion of the commission.
The Port of Olympia is planning to take similar action. However, the port is not required to meet a population threshold.
By collaborating on their efforts, the resolution states each body hopes their simultaneous ballot measures may be clearer to voters and save taxpayer dollars.
If the county population fails to exceed 300,000, then the Port of Olympia reserves the right to move ahead with its own ballot measure without the county.
Both commissions laid the groundwork for the final resolution during a joint meeting on July 21.
County Manager Ramiro Chavez has been optimistic the county population will meet the threshold by April, and on Tuesday, he said recent data appears promising.
“The result of the latest data that we have received, related to the population of Thurston County, we’re just about at 297,500,” Chavez said. “So, as you can tell, we’re inching right along to reaching 300,000 population.”
Separately, the county on Tuesday unanimously approved possibly short-lived district boundary adjustments based on the 2020 census.
District boundaries must be adjusted every 10 years under state law to balance the population of each district based on the results of the U.S. census, Chavez said.
As a result of the process, the population of District 2 will decrease by 5,455 people, District 1 will increase by 3,550 people and District 3 will increase by 1,905 people.
A public hearing for the adjustments was held on Nov. 9, Chavez said, but no objections were made. He said the county shared its redistricting plans with the Port of Olympia and the Public Utility District for their input.
Commissioner Tye Menser commended staff for the proposed adjustments just before the vote.
“I think the committee did a good job,” Menser said. “It was really sensible what they presented.”
This story was originally published November 24, 2021 at 2:17 PM.
