Staying in Office: Tips for Elected Officials

Congratulations to all newly elected and returning local government elected officials. As your new terms of office begin or your current terms continue, this blog provides some useful tips for staying in office. Your public service is important, and effective government is essential to our democracy.

Stay Put–Stay Qualified

To be qualified to hold any elective public office in Washington State, a person must meet the qualifications in RCW 42.04.020 and RCW 29A.24.075, and be an " elector" (as defined in the Washington State Constitution, Article VI, Section 1) of the city, county, or—in most cases—special purpose district in which they serve.

A frequent question MRSC consultants receive is about changes of residency of an elected official. To ensure you stay qualified, continue to reside in the jurisdiction you have been elected to serve and remain a registered voter. If you must move, resolve residency questions before this takes place instead of after the move. Do this by seeking guidance about how to handle a move within your jurisdiction (or district for those with district-based elections) or one that may be further away.

For cities, towns, and counties (as well as many special purpose districts), you would no longer be qualified to continue in office if you permanently establish your residence outside of the geographic borders of the public agency you have been elected to serve.

In such cases, elected officials who have moved away from the jurisdiction will typically voluntarily resign. Others might promptly return to a qualifying residence if they have already moved. Occasionally, there are valid arguments on both sides regarding residency or other qualifications that may require litigation before a position may be considered vacant.

Seek Training

State law requires all elected officials and public records officers complete open government training no later than 90 days after taking the oath of office or assuming their duties, with a refresher course at least every four years. See RCW 42.56.150-.152 for the Public Records Act (PRA), including records retention in chapter 40.14 RCW, and RCW 42.30.205 for the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA).

MRSC partners with the Association of Washington Cities (AWC) to provide this initial online training through our PRA/OPMA E-Learning Courses—which can help fulfill Open Government Trainings Act requirements for elected officials. This webpage offers two free e-learning modules: one dealing with the PRA (40 minutes) and the other with the OPMA (45 minutes).

Other resources specific to open government are two webpages from the Washington Attorney General’s Office (AGO), Open Government Training and the Open Government Resource Manual, the Washington State Archives’ Records Management Training webpage, and MRSC's PRA and OPMA webpage series.

You may also want to use our consulting service, Ask MRSC. The PRA and the OPMA are the two topics MRSC consultants are asked about most frequently.

In addition to the mandatory training required by state law, consider taking additional training, especially about open government. MRSC offers in-house training, and professional and member-based organizations around the state provide ongoing training and resources for elected officials, such as:

• Association of Washington Public Heath Districts
• Washington Association of County Officials
• Washington Association of Sewer & Water Districts
• Washington Public Ports Association
• Washington Public Utilities Districts Association
• Washington State Association of Counties
• Washington State Transit Association

Risk-pools, such as Enduris, Washington Cities Insurance Authority, Washington Counties Risk Insurance Pool, and Cities Insurance Association of Washington, may also offer training for elected officials who represent member agencies.

Avoid Recall

You may occasionally hear about someone wanting to remove an elected official from office before the next election. Unless an elected official voluntarily resigns, using the recall process is an option under state law.

A registered voter of a jurisdiction may seek a recall petition against an elected official be placed before the voters after court review and signature gathering (see Chapter 29A.56 RCW). If successful, a recall results in removal of that person from elected office.

The grounds for recall in both the statutes and the state constitution are:

• malfeasance of office,
• misfeasance of office, or
• violation of the oath of office.

How such grounds might apply in a particular case is often a matter of strong and competing opinions. The statutes regarding recall petitions and recall elections are in chapter 29A.56 RCW, starting with RCW 29A.56.110 and going through RCW 29A.56.270. The Washington State Constitution, at Article I, Section 33, specifies the same grounds for recall as the statute.

The recall process is typically complex, involving significant time and expense. State law requires court review, signature gathering, and an election if the petition is deemed by the courts to be sufficient.

Review of appellate case law about prior recalls indicates the courts dismiss many, if not most, recall petitions without an election. For example, in December 2025, the Washington State Supreme Courtn dismissed a recall petition involving a Pacific County Commissioner because the facts alleged in the petition were insufficient to support a claim of malfeasance or misfeasance. See In re Recall of Olsen.

I suggest that if, as an elected official, you become aware of (or are part of) discussions about a possible recall petition, you make efforts to reach out and better understand the underlying conflict and how to resolve these issues. Your risk insurance pool representatives and attorneys may also be able to help with facilitation services, thereby increasing chances of avoiding a costly and lengthy recall process.

Because recall involves litigation, including potential official and personal liability, we at MRSC generally defer questions about recall petitions to the attorneys for the officials and the public agencies involved.

Final Thoughts

As you assume office, I urge you to work closely with your colleagues and agency staff and to seek common ground with those who may not share your beliefs and opinions. It is important to consider many voices, including those with differing views, as part of the policy- and decision-making processes to improve local government outcomes.

Consider both the intentions and impacts of your ongoing efforts to serve your jurisdiction and the communities that reside within it. Just like the process of running for office, serving as an elected official is much more a marathon than a sprint.

Happy New Year and congratulations!