Every ten years, Pierce County elects a group of people to comb through the Pierce County Home Rule Charter, to make changes and hopefully, improvements to the rules our County is run by. Once they determine a rule needs revision, the final decision goes to a vote by the public. They are called the Charter Review Commission.

The Pierce County Charter was created and put in practice in 1980, ending a three County Commissioner form of governance. It created a County Executive and a seven-member Council to steer the County. It explains how county ordinances are passed and signed into law. It authorizes partisan or non-partisan offices for Sheriff, Auditor, and Assessor Treasurer.

The Charter structure is basic:

Of course, the devil is in the details, as they say. The details are what the Charter Review process was designed to address. What is it about how the County does business that really frustrates you? Yes, besides the taxes.

Do you want better public notice processes? Maybe the public notice should become an online option? Maybe public notices should go to a broader section of neighbors than the current 300 feet from the project. That was a change made by the Council itself a few years ago.

Would you like to see the way the Sheriff is elected to change? That is also a Charter issue.

Even the question of how many County Council seats are available is a Charter issue. Would you like to see a County Council of nine members? That is a Charter change.

Once the Charter Review Commission is elected, the committee will decide where and how often to meet. You may want to follow their process, or maybe this would completely bore you, but it will certainly affect your governance. The absence of reliable local reporting will also affect how much you know about the process. There is a process for the people to petition for a Charter Change. This fact sheet tells more.

The PPP cannot recommend candidates as we are a 501(c)(3) organization, but we can tell you who they are. Read your voter’s guide, look at their campaign materials, meet them in person, if possible.

All in all, make sure you are aware what this is all about. And to verify you are registered to vote, check the Vote WA Voter Portal.

This is a link to the Council Auditor’s list of who is running for election in this August 5, Primary. The following are the people running for the Charter Review Commission.

Charter Review Dist. 1 Pos. 1 Steve McCoy
Charter Review Dist. 1 Pos. 1 Kelsey Barrans
Charter Review Dist. 1 Pos. 2 Sharon Hanek
Charter Review Dist. 1 Pos. 2 Nathaniel Downes
Charter Review Dist. 1 Pos. 3 Sam Bath
Charter Review Dist. 1 Pos. 3 Jerome O’Leary
Charter Review Dist. 1 Pos. 3 Tamara Stramel
Charter Review Dist. 2 Pos. 1 Billy Jo Hetherington
Charter Review Dist. 2 Pos. 1 Tyron J. Christopherson
Charter Review Dist. 2 Pos. 2 Brenda Milewski
Charter Review Dist. 2 Pos. 2 Marianna Hyke
Charter Review Dist. 2 Pos. 2 Julia Perkinson
Charter Review Dist. 2 Pos. 3 Teresa Maston
Charter Review Dist. 2 Pos. 3 Elizabeth Herrera
Charter Review Dist. 2 Pos. 3 Bruce White
Charter Review Dist. 3 Pos. 1 Judson Willis
Charter Review Dist. 3 Pos. 1 Justin Boyd
Charter Review Dist. 3 Pos. 2 Caleb Heimlich
Charter Review Dist. 3 Pos. 3 John Linboe
Charter Review Dist. 3 Pos. 3 Hollie Rogge
Charter Review Dist. 3 Pos. 3 Nichole Weber
Charter Review Dist. 4 Pos. 1 Thai Vo
Charter Review Dist. 4 Pos. 1 Kate Ginn
Charter Review Dist. 4 Pos. 1 Maricres (MarMar) Castro
Charter Review Dist. 4 Pos. 1 Vince Navarre
Charter Review Dist. 4 Pos. 2 Devin Rydel Kelly
Charter Review Dist. 4 Pos. 2 Leslie E. Young
Charter Review Dist. 4 Pos. 3 Michael Catsi
Charter Review Dist. 4 Pos. 3 Jake Hunter
Charter Review Dist. 4 Pos. 3 Max J. Heller, III
Charter Review Dist. 5 Pos. 1 Mason D. Fletcher
Charter Review Dist. 5 Pos. 1 David Perry
Charter Review Dist. 5 Pos. 1 Giovanni Vendetti
Charter Review Dist. 5 Pos. 2 Lori L. Jordan
Charter Review Dist. 5 Pos. 2 Troy Serad
Charter Review Dist. 5 Pos. 2 Brett Johnson
Charter Review Dist. 5 Pos. 3 Carole Sue Braaten
Charter Review Dist. 5 Pos. 3 Jenn Marie Strickling
Charter Review Dist. 5 Pos. 3 Levi Lyon
Charter Review Dist. 5 Pos. 3 Amin “Tony” Hester
Charter Review Dist. 6 Pos. 1 Danny Hankins
Charter Review Dist. 6 Pos. 1 George Conzuelo
Charter Review Dist. 6 Pos. 1 John P. Colvin
Charter Review Dist. 6 Pos. 2 Sam Scott
Charter Review Dist. 6 Pos. 2 Cameron Kastner
Charter Review Dist. 6 Pos. 2 Lisa T. Boyd
Charter Review Dist. 6 Pos. 3 Jeremy Kamel
Charter Review Dist. 6 Pos. 3 Loujanna Rohrer
Charter Review Dist. 7 Pos. 1 Pat McMonigle
Charter Review Dist. 7 Pos. 1 Jerry Thorpe
Charter Review Dist. 7 Pos. 1 Justin Leighton
Charter Review Dist. 7 Pos. 1 David Seago
Charter Review Dist. 7 Pos. 1 Stacie Snuffin
Charter Review Dist. 7 Pos. 1 Gary Wescott
Charter Review Dist. 7 Pos. 1 Randy Boss
Charter Review Dist. 7 Pos. 2 Brenda Lykins
Charter Review Dist. 7 Pos. 2 Gary Parker
Charter Review Dist. 7 Pos. 2 David Moylan
Charter Review Dist. 7 Pos. 3 Martha Lantz
Charter Review Dist. 7 Pos. 3 Damon Townsend
Charter Review Dist. 7 Pos. 3 Jesse L. Young
Charter Review Dist. 7 Pos. 3 Julie A. Murray