ORDINANCE NO. 119552
AN ORDINANCE submitting a proposition to the qualified electors of the City of Seattle, at the general election to be held on November 2, 1999, to amend various articles and sections of the Charter of the City of Seattle to replace all exclusively male gender references with gender-neutral references; ratifying and confirming prior acts; calling on the City Clerk to certify the proposed amendment to the Director of Records and Elections of King County and directing such Director to submit the proposition to City voters; and providing for the publication of such proposed amendment.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subject to the approval of a proposition by a majority of the qualified electors casting votes thereon, the various articles and sections of the Charter of the City of Seattle are hereby amended to replace all exclusively male gender references with gender-neutral references. To carry out such amendments, by way of example only, all references to "he" shall be changed to "he or she," all references to "himself" shall be changed to "himself or herself," all references to "councilman" shall be changed to "council member," and all references to "policeman" shall be changed to "police officer."
Section 2. The King County Director of Records and Elections, as ex officio supervisor of elections, is hereby directed to submit to the qualified electors of the City the proposition set forth below at the City general election on November 2, 1999.
The City Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to certify the proposition to the King County Director of Records and Elections in the following form:
Proposed City Charter Amendment No.____
Shall the Seattle City Charter be amended to replace all exclusively male gender references with gender-neutral references, and shall various articles and sections of said charter be amended accordingly?
Yes ____ No ____
Every qualified voter at the election desiring to ratify the proposition shall mark his or her ballot "Yes." Every qualified voter desiring to reject the proposition shall mark his or her ballot "No."
Section 3. The City Clerk shall certify to the Director of the Department of Records and Elections of King County as Supervisor of Elections the charter amendment proposed herein in the form of a ballot title conforming to the foregoing statement of the same, and shall certify a copy of the proposed charter amendment, and the same shall be published by the City Clerk in two daily newspapers in the City for at least thirty (30) days prior to such election, and as required by RCW 35.22.170.
Section 4. Certification of the charter amendment proposed herein by the City Clerk to the Director of Records and Elections and any other act pursuant to the authority and prior to the effective date of this ordinance is hereby ratified and confirmed.
Section 5. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force immediately upon approval by the Mayor or, if not approved and returned by the Mayor within ten (10) days after presentation, then on the eleventh (11th) day after its presentation to the Mayor or, if vetoed by the Mayor, then immediately upon its passage over his veto.
Passed by the City Council the 19 day of July, 1999, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its passage this 19 day of July, 1999.
Sue Donaldson, President of the City Council
Approved by me this 19 day of July, 1999.
Paul Schell, Mayor
Filed by me this 23 day of July, 1999.
Ernie Dornfeld, Acting City Clerk
Filed by me this 26 day of July, 1999.
(Seal)