RCW 42.17A.555 states that public facilities may not be used directly or indirectly for the purpose of assisting a campaign for election of any person to any office or for the promotion of or opposition to any ballot proposition, except for activities which are part of the normal and regular conduct of the office or agency.
Petitions or election materials may not be placed on bulletin boards or literature distributions racks, or otherwise left in library facilities. Such materials left in library facilities will be discarded.
The library does allow petition signature gatherers and electioneerers outside on library property as long as they do not intimidate or interfere with the public’s access to, entry into or exit from the building. Petition signature gatherers and electioneerers may be outside the building only and may not be in the foyer, lobby or interior of the facility.
WAC 390-05-271 clarifies that RCW 42.17A.555 does not prevent a public agency from making facilities such as meeting rooms available on a nondiscriminatory, equal access basis for political uses. Consistent with these laws the library does allow use of its meeting rooms for political uses on a nondiscriminatory, equal access basis, making such time and place restrictions as outlined in the Meeting Room Use policy.
Additionally, the library is a Washington State ballot deposit site. As per WAC 434-250-100, no person may electioneer, circulate campaign material, solicit petition signatures, or interfere with or impede the voting process within twenty-five feet of a ballot deposit site.
The Director is responsible for the administration of the policy and for establishing administrative guidelines for its implementation.