No Minimum Voter Turnout Required For Consolidation

Question: Who gets to vote in Tuesday’s election?

Answer: Any registered voter who lives in Spokane County, including unincorporated areas, the city or any of the 10 small towns.

Q: What happens if voters in the city approve the charter but those in other areas reject it?

A: The charter becomes law if it is approved by more than half of those who go to the polls, regardless of where they live.

That means it’s mathematically possible it could pass without much support from the suburbs, small towns or rural areas, if city residents give it overwhelming support. Or, it could pass without majority support from city residents, if approved by a wide margin in other areas.

There is no minimum voter turnout required for approval.

Q: Don’t city residents have an unfair advantage in the election since they outnumber people in unincorporated areas?

A: There are 102,841 registered voters in Spokane, according to the county elections office. There are 108,621 in unincorporated areas and small towns.

Q: How can I get more information?

A: By calling the pro-consolidation group, We The People, at 458-0407 or the anti-consolidation group, We The Taxpayers, at 456-8752.

The charter is available in libraries, and its text is on the Internet. Point your browser to City Hall Link at http://www.eznet.com/cityhall/ cityhall.html.

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