Qualifications of voters and directors — Districts of less than 200,000 acres.
RCW 87.03.051
in effectIn districts with less than 200,000 acres, a person 18 years old, being a citizen of the United States and a resident of the state and who holds title or evidence of title to land in the district or proposed district that is assessed or is assessable by the district pursuant to federal and state law, shall be entitled to vote therein, and to be recognized as an elector. A corporation, general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, or other legal entity formed pursuant to the laws of the state of Washington or qualified to do business in the state of Washington owning land in the district shall be recognized as an elector. As used in this section, "entity" means a corporation, general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, or other legal entity formed pursuant to the laws of the state of Washington or qualified to do business in the state of Washington. "Ownership" shall mean the aggregate of all assessable acres owned by an elector, individually or jointly, within one district. Voting rights shall be allocated as follows: Two votes for each five acres of assessable land or fraction thereof. No one ownership may accumulate more than 49 percent of the votes in one district. If assessments are on the basis of shares instead of acres, an elector shall be entitled to two votes for each five shares or fraction thereof. The ballots cast for each ownership of land or shares shall be exercised by common agreement between electors or when land is held as community property, the accumulated votes may be divided equally between the spouses. Except for community property ownership, in the absence of the submission of the common agreement to the secretary of the district at least 24 hours before the opening of the polls, the election board shall recognize the first elector to appear on election day as the elector having the authority to cast the ballots for that parcel of land for which there is more than one ownership interest. A majority of the directors shall be residents of the county or counties in which the district is situated and all shall be electors of the district. If more than one elector residing outside the county or counties is voted for as director, only that one who receives the highest number of votes shall be considered in ascertaining the result of the election. An agent of an entity owning land in the district, duly authorized in writing, may vote on behalf of the entity by filing with the election officers his or her instrument of authority. The agent of such entity is considered an elector of the district, and shall vote in the precinct where the entity's principal office is located or in the precinct nearest the location of the principal office. An elector resident in the district shall vote in the precinct in which he or she resides, all others shall vote in the precinct nearest their residence. No director shall be qualified to take or retain office unless the director holds title or evidence of title to land within the district.
In districts with less than 200,000 acres, a person 18 years old, being a citizen of the United States and a resident of the state and who holds title or evidence of title to land in the district or proposed district that is assessed or is assessable by the district pursuant to federal and state law, shall be entitled to vote therein, and to be recognized as an elector. A corporation, general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, or other legal entity formed pursuant to the laws of the state of Washington or qualified to do business in the state of Washington owning land in the district shall be recognized as an elector. As used in this section, "entity" means a corporation, general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, or other legal entity formed pursuant to the laws of the state of Washington or qualified to do business in the state of Washington. "Ownership" shall mean the aggregate of all assessable acres owned by an elector, individually or jointly, within one district. Voting rights shall be allocated as follows: Two votes for each five acres of assessable land or fraction thereof. No one ownership may accumulate more than 49 percent of the votes in one district. If assessments are on the basis of shares instead of acres, an elector shall be entitled to two votes for each five shares or fraction thereof. The ballots cast for each ownership of land or shares shall be exercised by common agreement between electors or when land is held as community property, the accumulated votes may be divided equally between the spouses. Except for community property ownership, in the absence of the submission of the common agreement to the secretary of the district at least 24 hours before the opening of the polls, the election board shall recognize the first elector to appear on election day as the elector having the authority to cast the ballots for that parcel of land for which there is more than one ownership interest. A majority of the directors shall be residents of the county or counties in which the district is situated and all shall be electors of the district. If more than one elector residing outside the county or counties is voted for as director, only that one who receives the highest number of votes shall be considered in ascertaining the result of the election. An agent of an entity owning land in the district, duly authorized in writing, may vote on behalf of the entity by filing with the election officers his or her instrument of authority. The agent of such entity is considered an elector of the district, and shall vote in the precinct where the entity's principal office is located or in the precinct nearest the location of the principal office. An elector resident in the district shall vote in the precinct in which he or she resides, all others shall vote in the precinct nearest their residence. No director shall be qualified to take or retain office unless the director holds title or evidence of title to land within the district.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=87.03&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026