Recapping the August 2025 Local Ballot Measures

Another primary election has come and gone. In addition to the many local offices on the ballot, voters also weighed in on a number of local ballot measures.

Here at MRSC, our Local Ballot Measure Database tracks the results of all local ballot measures (except school districts) dating back to 2011. By my count, there were 54 ballot measures in this year’s primary election — fewer than some recent primaries, but still enough for me to write about.

County canvassing boards certified the results on August 19, and I’ve updated our database with the final results. As usual, I can’t write about every ballot measure, but here are some topics and trends that caught my eye. Wherever possible, I’ve also included links to local news articles for more details.

Law Enforcement & 911 Services

Voters in Spokane Valley easily approved a new 0.1% public safety sales tax to hire more officers for the police department. Some of the new officers will be dedicated to property crimes, drug crimes, and services related to homelessness.

In Klickitat County, Bingen voters overwhelmingly supported a new 0.1% public safety sales tax to support law enforcement staffing and fire department funding.

In Walla Walla County, a countywide 0.2% sales tax to improve the 911 emergency communications system passed handily. The funds will help upgrade old equipment and hire new staff.

Fire Districts

Voters have historically supported fire protection and emergency medical services, but the results were especially strong in this election, with fire districts and regional fire authorities going a perfect 25-for-25.

Lake Wenatchee Fire & Rescue successfully passed a $15 million bond to improve existing fire stations and construct a new fire station.

Meanwhile, it appears Lewis County Fire District No. 4 succeeded in passing a $3 million bond to construct a new fire station. The bond measure had previously been submitted to voters in April but fell short of the required 60% supermajority.

In Mason County, voters overwhelmingly approved the merger of the all-volunteer Fire District No. 17 (Hama Hama Fire) into Fire District No. 18 (Hoodsport Fire & EMS).

In Pend Oreille County Fire District No. 2, which has expanded in recent years from an all-volunteer department to a fully paid department, voters narrowly approved expanding the number of commissioners from three to five.

In Chelan County Fire District No. 5, voters also said yes to expanding the number of commissioners from three to five.

In King County Fire District No. 40, which is annexing into the Renton Regional Fire Authority, voters easily approved reducing the number of commissioners from five to three.

Meanwhile, fire protection districts and regional fire authorities submitted 16 levy lid lifts for voter approval, and all 16 easily passed. Most of the lid lifts were the “multi-year” variety, which allows the levy amount to increase more than 1% for up to six years.

Transportation

In Shelton, voters easily approved a 10-year renewal of the existing transportation benefit district (TBD) sales tax.

However, Wenatchee voters narrowly rejected a proposed 0.2% TBD sales tax that would have raised roughly $4 million per year for street and sidewalk projects.

Libraries

Anecdotally, it seems quite a few library districts are considering a levy lid lift these days to restore their levy rates and increase revenue. Four library districts submitted lid lifts at this election, and all four passed:

• Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries, which restored its rate to $0.50 and had not had a levy lid lift in 15 years,
• Whatcom County Rural Library District, which restored its rate to $0.42 and had not had a levy lid lift in 16 years,
• Kitsap County Rural Library District, which restored its rate to $0.39, and
• Lopez Island Library District, which restored its rate to $0.48.

Public Hospitals

A number of public hospital districts have also been submitting levy lid lifts in recent years. This time around, voters supported two hospital levy lid lifts:

• King County Public Hospital District No. 2 (EvergreenHealth in Kirkland), which restored its rate to $0.50, and
• Kittitas County Public Hospital District No. 1 (Kittitas Valley Healthcare), which restored its rate to $0.75.

However, a proposed $30 million bond to expand Columbia Basin Hospital in Ephrata (Grant County Public Hospital District No. 3) failed with just 45% of the vote and also did not meet the minimum required voter turnout levels. The district will try again and has re-submitted the bond at the general election, when they are hoping that interest and turnout will be higher with more items on the ballot.

Parks and Recreation

In Lacey, a proposed metropolitan park district narrowly failed. The district would have been governed by city council in an ex officio capacity and would have had authority to levy a property tax up to $0.45 per $1,000 assessed value. A similar attempt narrowly failed in November 2018.

Elsewhere in Thurston County, voters in the Tanglewilde Parks & Recreation District approved a six-year park and recreation district regular levy, replacing an existing levy.

In King County, a six-year levy lid lift for parks and recreation easily passed, replacing an expiring levy lid lift. The measure will raise an estimated $1.4 billion for county parks, trails, and open space.

Aquifer Protection Areas

In Spokane County, voters supported a 20-year renewal and extension of the Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer Protection Area, funded by water and septic system fees.

The district was originally formed in 1985 and focused on replacing septic tanks with sewage systems to protect water quality. The City of Spokane withdrew in 2004 after most septic tanks in the city had been replaced, but the city will now be re-joining due to concerns about PFAS and other chemicals being found in the aquifer. With the City of Spokane involved again, the district’s revenues will roughly double.

I’m not aware of any other aquifer protection areas in the state formed under chapter 36.36 RCW, but Spokane County officials are now considering a new aquifer protection area in the West Plains that might go before voters as soon as next year.

Democracy Vouchers

In Seattle, voters supported a 10-year levy lid lift to renew the city’s Democracy Vouchers program, which provides public funding to participating candidates for local elected office. Under the program, residents receive $100 in vouchers that they can donate to local candidates.

Full Results

For the complete election results, see our Local Ballot Measure Database. See you again after the general election!