Richland voters rejecting an overhaul of how city council is elected
Richland voters were rejecting a proposal to overhaul how members are elected to the city council.
Measure 1, which would amend the city charter to elect five of seven council members from individual districts instead of at-large, was losing when preliminary election results were released after polls closed Tuesday.
The measure was failing 3,859 to 3,004, or about 56% to 44%.
Results will be updated at 4 p.m. Wednesday, said the Benton County Auditor’s Office.
The charter change was placed before voters following a signature campaign calling for Richland to bring geographic diversity to the council.
Critics said electing all seven members at-large tended to concentrate representation among residents of the city’s more affluent south side.
The plan would have converted five city council positions to district-based elections and retained Positions 6 and 7 as at-large, a hybrid approach that is used by both Pasco and Kennewick.
Opponents of the change, including Mayor Theresa Richardson, campaigned under the slogan, “Keep Richland One,” and said it would divide the city, making council members less responsive to residents who live outside their districts.
The Benton County Republican Party encouraged voters to oppose the change.
Tuesday’s results reflected 6,974 ballots counted. The city has 43,608 registered voters. Turnout was 16%.