Chelan County Auditor Looking for Residents to Write Voter Pamphlets

The Chelan County Auditor's office is recruiting residents to write "For" and "Against" arguments for ballot measures in November's election.

A new state law requires printed local voters pamphlets, and county auditors are charged with organizing committees to write those pamphlets if none are provided by the parties involved in the election.

Chelan County Auditor Skip Moore says the arrangement is a potential conflict of interest for his office, which is normally responsible for overseeing elections.

"You start to wonder at what point am I actively running some level of campaigns while I'm also conducting elections," said Moore.

Moore also says the added responsibility stretches his office thin, but does serve a worthy purpose. "It is beneficial, Moore said. "Anytime we can get more information out to the public on the issues that are for them on the ballot, it's important."

Moore is trying to organize committees to write pamphlets for elections involving a Fire District in Chelan that wants to raise its property tax, and a Mosquito District in Leavenworth that wants to annex more land.

All members of committees are required to be residents of the communities involved in the ballot measures. The Chelan County Auditor's Office can be reached at (509) 667-6806.

The requirement for printed local voter pamphlets was passed by the state legislature a year and a half ago and is just now being implemented. It's required for primary elections this year and will expand to all elections in 2022.

The pamphlets are to be mailed out to voters about a week before ballots are mailed to them.