Washington § 35.58.100 - Additional functions — Authorized by election.

A metropolitan municipal corporation may be authorized to perform one or more metropolitan functions in addition to those which it has previously been authorized to perform, with the approval of the voters at an election, in the manner provided in this section.

An election to authorize a metropolitan municipal corporation to perform one or more additional metropolitan functions may be called pursuant to a resolution or a petition in the following manner:

(1) A resolution calling for such an election may be adopted by:

(a) The city council of the central city; or

(b) The city councils of at least one-half in number of the component cities other than the central city; or

(c) The board of commissioners of the central county. Such resolution shall be transmitted to the metropolitan council.

(2) A petition calling for such an election shall be signed by at least four percent of the registered voters residing within the metropolitan area and shall be filed with the auditor of the central county.

Any resolution or petition calling for such an election shall name the additional metropolitan functions which the metropolitan municipal corporation shall be authorized to perform.

Upon receipt of such a petition, the auditor shall examine the signatures thereon and certify to the sufficiency thereof. For the purpose of examining the signatures on such petition, the auditor shall be permitted access to all voter registration books of any component county and of all component cities. No person may withdraw his or her name from a petition after it has been filed with the auditor. Within thirty days following the receipt of such petition, the auditor shall transmit the same to the metropolitan council, together with his or her certificate as to the sufficiency of signatures thereon.

Upon receipt of a valid resolution or duly certified petition calling for an election on the authorization of the performance of one or more additional metropolitan functions, the metropolitan council shall cause to be called a special election to be held not more than one hundred and twenty days nor less than sixty days following such receipt. Such special election shall be conducted and canvassed as provided in this chapter for an election on the question of forming a metropolitan municipal corporation. The ballot proposition shall be in substantially the following form:

"Shall the . . . . . . metropolitan municipal corporation be authorized to perform the additional metropolitan functions of . . . . . . (here insert the title of each of the additional functions to be authorized as set forth in the petition or resolution)?

If a majority of the persons voting on the proposition shall vote in favor thereof, the metropolitan municipal corporation shall be authorized to perform such additional metropolitan function or functions.