OLYMPIA -- A bill that would require Spokane County to have five county commissioners elected by districts set up by a special commission was sent to the House for a possible vote in the coming weeks.

The House State Government Committee unanimously approved House Bill 2610, a proposal by Rep. Marcus Riccelli, D-Spokane. It will be up to House leadership to decide whether to schedule it.

The bill requires non-charter counties with more than 300,000 people to expand the standard three-member board to five. Spokane is the only county that currently meets that description, but some lawmakers are looking at lowering that to 265,000 people, which would also cover Thurston County.

Counties below the population threshold would have the option of expanding to five members. For more on the bill, click here.

Current law requires county commissioners to run in their district in the primary, but county wide in the general election. The proposal would have both elections limited to the districts, which would be drawn by a five-member commission. 

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