Whenever there is a vacancy in the board of county commissioners, except as provided in RCW 36.32.0558, it shall be filled as follows:

     (1) If there are three vacancies, the governor of the state shall appoint two of the officers. The two commissioners thus appointed shall then meet and select the third commissioner. If the two appointed commissioners fail to agree upon selection of the third after the expiration of five days from the day they were appointed, the governor shall appoint the remaining commissioner.

     (2) Whenever there are two vacancies in the office of county commissioner, the governor shall appoint one commissioner, and the two commissioners then in office shall appoint the third commissioner. If they fail to agree upon a selection after the expiration of five days from the day of the governor's appointment, the governor shall appoint the third commissioner.

     (3) Whenever there is one vacancy in the office of county commissioner, the two remaining commissioners shall fill the vacancy. If the two commissioners fail to agree upon a selection after the expiration of five days from the day the vacancy occurred, the governor shall appoint the third commissioner.

     (4) Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of county commissioner after the general election in a year that the position appears on the ballot and before the start of the next term, the term of the successor who is of the same party as the incumbent may commence once he or she has qualified as defined in *RCW 29.01.135 and shall continue through the term for which he or she was elected.

[2003 c 238 § 3; 1990 c 252 § 7; 1963 c 4 §36.32.070 . Prior: 1933 c 100 § 1; RRS § 4038-1.]

NOTES:

     *Reviser's note: RCW 29.01.135 was recodified as RCW 29A.04.133 pursuant to 2003 c 111 § 2401, effective July 1, 2004.

     Contingent effective date -- 2003 c 238: See note following RCW 36.16.110.