Charter Amendment No. 13: Creating voting districts

Why is Charter Amendment No. 13 on the ballot?

As part of the 2024 Charter Review process, the Charter Review Committee recommended a shift to elections by district. As a result, the City Council created a districting subcommittee to consider the recommendation. After multiple discussions, in July 2025, the City Council adopted Resolution M-4339 for voters to consider an amendment to the City Charter concerning the creation of voting districts.

What will Charter Amendment No. 13 do?

If Charter Amendment No. 13 passes, the City Council would appoint a Districting Commission to divide the City into four geographic voting districts of roughly equal population and would require that four City Council members be elected from the district in which they reside. Two City Council members and the mayor will continue to be elected at large in a Citywide election.

What will I see on the ballot?

In Washington, ballot titles are limited to 75 words to ensure clarity, neutrality, and accessibility for voters. This word limit is outlined in RCW 29A.72.050. The following image shows what Charter Amendment No. 13  will look like on the ballot.

FAQ

What is the current structure of the City Council?

Currently, all members of the city council and the mayor are elected citywide.

Will the charter amendment change the number of council members?

No, there will still be seven council members, including the mayor, on the city council.

How is the Districting Commission appointed?

If passed, the Commission would be appointed on or before January 31, 2026. The mayor would nominate one member and an alternate, and the remainder of the City Council would nominate four members. Members must be residents of Vancouver for at least two years. Members will serve until the city council ratifies the districting plan

What would a Districting Commission do?

A Districting Commission would be charged with creating a district plan that includes dividing the city into four voting districts of roughly equal population based on 2020 Census data. The Commission would also identify which council seat is assigned to each district and which seats remain at large.

Is there a proposed district map?

No, once appointed, the Districting Commission will be responsible for developing the map.

How will the districts be drawn up?

If passed, the Districting Commission will work with staff to draw up the Districting Plan based on the most recent federal census, with additional population estimates that Commission deems reliable. Districting Plan guidelines include:

• Districts should preserve identifiable communities of interest
• Districts should be geographically compact, and a populous contiguous territory shall not be bypassed to reach distant populous areas
• Districts should be composed of contiguous territory with reasonable access between population centers in the district
• Districts should not be drawn for the purpose of protecting incumbents
• Districts should be bound by natural boundaries, such as by street lines, by neighborhoods association boundaries, or by other geographic or political boundaries
• Districts should be drawn up to promote demographic and economic diversity on the council

Will the public be able to comment on the Districting Plans?

The draft Districting Plan will be made public by the Districting Commission on or before June 1 of the convening year. The Commission will hold public hearings in each of the proposed districts.

When will the election by district start?

If passed, following the creation of voting districts, and after a two-year transition period beginning in 2027, four city council members would be elected from the district in which they reside, and two city council members and the mayor would be elected at large in a citywide election.

Can the Districting Plan be revised?

Yes, the Districting Commission would make revisions to the Districting Plan, consistent with applicable state law and the City Charter. The plan will be revised within 365 days of the release of Census block-level data for each federal Census, unless more frequently directed by the City Charter.

What if a council member decides to move while being elected to represent a district?

If a Council member elected to represent a district continues to live in the city but moves out of their district, they will remain the council member for the district from which they moved until the next municipal election.

What if an individual decides to move to another district?

Only voters residing in a district at the time ballots are distributed by the Clark County Elections are eligible to vote for the Council member representing that district.