The Metropolitan King County Council recently celebrated 40 years of King County government operating under a county charter with a recognition of the trailblazing efforts of the Board of King County Freeholders — the creators of the county’s constitution.
“As the cornerstone of King County government, the charter continues to reflect the values of the people of King County,” said Council Chair Bob Ferguson, who read the recognition. “The Freeholders not only made history, but a truly significant contribution to King County for which we are grateful.”
King County made history on May 1, 1969 when the voter-approved charter took effect, making it the first county in Washington State to operate under a “home rule” charter. Under a home rule charter, counties can determine their own form of government and have broad authority to decide purely local governance issues.
The charter brought sweeping changes to King County government. Prior to the charter, a three-member Board of Commissioners oversaw the operation of county government. The adopted charter provided for the separation of legislative and executive powers in a nine-member council and a separately elected executive. The charter also replaced employment by political patronage with a merit system of career service.
The 15-member Board of Freeholders originally drafted the charter. The voters of King County elected the Freeholders, who came from all parts of the county and represented a broad spectrum of political and philosophical points of view. Despite some noteworthy opposition at the time, the charter proposed by the Freeholders received the support of the voters. The council recognized the freeholders in the audience as well as the members of the county’s Charter Review Commissions that have met throughout the charter’s 40-year history to assess the charter and recommend charter changes to the council. The people of Washington granted counties the opportunity to frame a home rule charter by approving the 21st Amendment to the Washington Constitution in 1948.
For more information, visit www.kingcounty.gov/exec/charter.aspx.
