The Board of Lewis County Commissioners voted Monday to amend its freeholder election policy, approved earlier this month, after it was pointed out that it may not be constitutional because it did not include a way to waive a $50 filing fee.
Most filing fees can be waived if a candidate proves they are not able to afford it. The commissioners approved a resolution amending their policy to allow a person to pay what they can of the filing fee, or nothing at all, if they submit a statement saying they cannot afford the fee in its entirety.
One Lewis County, a political action committee formed last year by the Centralia-Chehalis Chamber of Commerce, collected enough signatures early this year to put the election of freeholders and a measure allowing them to begin working to draft a county charter on November’s ballot.
The Board of Lewis County Commissioners was required by the Washington state constitution to draft a freeholder election policy.
