Exercise of power by commissioners — Number — Districts — Terms — Vacancies — Adjustment of boundaries.
RCW 54.12.010
in effectA public utility district that is created as provided in RCW 54.08.010 shall be a municipal corporation of the state of Washington, and the name of such public utility district shall be Public Utility District No. . . . . of . . . . . . County. The powers of the public utility district shall be exercised through a commission consisting of three members in three commissioner districts, and five members in five commissioner districts. (1) If the public utility district is countywide and the county has three county legislative authority districts, then, at the first election of commissioners and until any change is made in the boundaries of public utility district commissioner districts, one public utility district commissioner shall be chosen from each of the three county legislative authority districts. (2) If the public utility district comprises only a portion of the county, with boundaries established in accordance with chapter 54.08 RCW, or if the public utility district is countywide and the county does not have three county legislative authority districts, three public utility district commissioner districts, numbered consecutively, each with approximately equal population and following precinct lines, as far as practicable, shall be described in the petition for the formation of the public utility district, subject to appropriate change by the county legislative authority if and when it changes the boundaries of the proposed public utility district. One commissioner shall be elected as a commissioner of each of the public utility district commissioner districts. (3) Only a registered voter who resides in a commissioner district may be a candidate for, or hold office as, a commissioner of the commissioner district. Only voters of a commissioner district may vote at a primary to nominate candidates for a commissioner of the commissioner district. Voters of the entire public utility district may vote at a general election to elect a person as a commissioner of the commissioner district. (4) The term of office of each public utility district commissioner other than the commissioners at large shall be six years, and the term of each commissioner at large shall be four years. Each term shall be computed in accordance with RCW 29A.60.280 following the commissioner's election. All public utility district commissioners shall hold office until their successors shall have been elected and have qualified and assume office in accordance with RCW 29A.60.280 . (5) A vacancy in the office of public utility district commissioner shall occur as provided in chapter 42.12 RCW or by nonattendance at meetings of the public utility district commission for a period of sixty days unless excused by the public utility district commission. Vacancies on a board of public utility district commissioners shall be filled as provided in chapter 42.12 RCW. (6) The boundaries of the public utility district commissioner districts may be changed only by the public utility district commission or by a court order issued pursuant to RCW 29A.92.110 , and shall be examined every ten years to determine substantial equality of population in accordance with chapter 29A.76 RCW. Except as provided in this section, RCW 29A.92.110 , RCW 54.04.039 , or in the case of an intervening census, the boundaries shall not be changed more often than once in four years. Boundaries may only be changed when all members of the commission are present. Whenever territory is added to a public utility district under RCW 54.04.035 , or added or withdrawn under RCW 54.04.039 , the boundaries of the public utility commissioner districts shall be changed to include the additional or exclude the withdrawn territory. Unless the boundaries are changed pursuant to RCW 54.04.039 , the proposed change of the boundaries of the public utility district commissioner district must be made by resolution and after public hearing. Notice of the time of the public hearing shall be published for two weeks before the hearing. Upon a referendum petition signed by ten percent of the qualified voters of the public utility district being filed with the county auditor, the county legislative authority shall submit the proposed change of boundaries to the voters of the public utility district for their approval or rejection. The petition must be filed within ninety days after the adoption of resolution of the proposed action. The validity of the petition is governed by the provisions of chapter 54.08 RCW.
A public utility district that is created as provided in RCW 54.08.010 shall be a municipal corporation of the state of Washington, and the name of such public utility district shall be Public Utility District No. . . . . of . . . . . . County.
The powers of the public utility district shall be exercised through a commission consisting of three members in three commissioner districts, and five members in five commissioner districts.
(1) If the public utility district is countywide and the county has three county legislative authority districts, then, at the first election of commissioners and until any change is made in the boundaries of public utility district commissioner districts, one public utility district commissioner shall be chosen from each of the three county legislative authority districts.
(2) If the public utility district comprises only a portion of the county, with boundaries established in accordance with chapter 54.08 RCW, or if the public utility district is countywide and the county does not have three county legislative authority districts, three public utility district commissioner districts, numbered consecutively, each with approximately equal population and following precinct lines, as far as practicable, shall be described in the petition for the formation of the public utility district, subject to appropriate change by the county legislative authority if and when it changes the boundaries of the proposed public utility district. One commissioner shall be elected as a commissioner of each of the public utility district commissioner districts.
(3) Only a registered voter who resides in a commissioner district may be a candidate for, or hold office as, a commissioner of the commissioner district. Only voters of a commissioner district may vote at a primary to nominate candidates for a commissioner of the commissioner district. Voters of the entire public utility district may vote at a general election to elect a person as a commissioner of the commissioner district.
(4) The term of office of each public utility district commissioner other than the commissioners at large shall be six years, and the term of each commissioner at large shall be four years. Each term shall be computed in accordance with RCW 29A.60.280 following the commissioner's election. All public utility district commissioners shall hold office until their successors shall have been elected and have qualified and assume office in accordance with RCW 29A.60.280 .
(5) A vacancy in the office of public utility district commissioner shall occur as provided in chapter 42.12 RCW or by nonattendance at meetings of the public utility district commission for a period of sixty days unless excused by the public utility district commission. Vacancies on a board of public utility district commissioners shall be filled as provided in chapter 42.12 RCW.
(6) The boundaries of the public utility district commissioner districts may be changed only by the public utility district commission or by a court order issued pursuant to RCW 29A.92.110 , and shall be examined every ten years to determine substantial equality of population in accordance with chapter 29A.76 RCW. Except as provided in this section, RCW 29A.92.110 , RCW 54.04.039 , or in the case of an intervening census, the boundaries shall not be changed more often than once in four years. Boundaries may only be changed when all members of the commission are present. Whenever territory is added to a public utility district under RCW 54.04.035 , or added or withdrawn under RCW 54.04.039 , the boundaries of the public utility commissioner districts shall be changed to include the additional or exclude the withdrawn territory. Unless the boundaries are changed pursuant to RCW 54.04.039 , the proposed change of the boundaries of the public utility district commissioner district must be made by resolution and after public hearing. Notice of the time of the public hearing shall be published for two weeks before the hearing. Upon a referendum petition signed by ten percent of the qualified voters of the public utility district being filed with the county auditor, the county legislative authority shall submit the proposed change of boundaries to the voters of the public utility district for their approval or rejection. The petition must be filed within ninety days after the adoption of resolution of the proposed action. The validity of the petition is governed by the provisions of chapter 54.08 RCW.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=54.12&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026