Pro-incorporation efforts continue

The committee pushing for Silverdale’s incorporation submitted voter petitions to the Kitsap County Auditor’s Office Monday.

Citizens United for Silverdale needs at least 10 percent of signatures from registered voters in the proposed incorporation boundaries in order to get the incorporation measure to voters in a special spring election. The number must be verified.

Marcus Hoffman, committee spokesman, Tuesday said the group submitted about 1,457 signatures. About 982 signatures are needed, he said.

Incorporating Silverdale has failed the vote twice before, the last time in 2001.

The auditor’s office must verify the signature petitions in order for the committee to continue its incorporation efforts.

Dolores Gilmore, Kitsap County elections manager, said the petitions were turned in Monday and that the auditor has 30 days to verify the signatures.

Gilmore said that if the appropriate number of signatures are found sufficient, they will be forwarded to the county legislative authority and a notification will be sent to the committee as well.

Gilmore said the cost of verifying petitions is part of the voter registration cost so taxpayers will not be paying anything more for verifying this one.

“I don’t expect there to be any overtime. I don’t see any additional cost,” Gilmore said.

Hoffman said the committee is readying for a ballot measure for residents to vote on whether they want Silverdale cityhood in May 2012.

The committee began petitioning for signatures in the summer.

“It was really fun going door-to-door,” Hoffman said. “I was very encouraged.”

Members of the community can contact the committee to hear a presentation on the benefits of incorporating Silverdale. They can be reached at UniteSilverdale@gmail.com.

“People will vote ‘no’ if they don’t know, so we have to prove the positive.” Hoffman said.

 

Contact Central Kitsap Reporter staff Kristin Okinaka at kokinaka@centralkitsapreporter.com or (360) 308-9161 ext. 5054.

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