Initiative 932 (I-932), called the County Choice Initiative, would define the process for counties to reconfigure themselves. The people of Washington have had the power to create new counties for over 100 years.

The problem is that in over 100 years, state legislators have failed to pass a bill defining the process. I-932 would establish procedures to create new counties or combine existing ones. The Yes on County Choice organization needs about 225,000 legal voters to sign their petitions by this summer to get the measure on the Nov. 2 ballot.

Backers of I-933 are also circulating petitions. I-933, called the Property Fairness Initiative, would require state and local governments to compensate landowners when regulations damage the use or value of private property. The initiative would require government agencies to explain why they want new regulations, identify the properties they want to regulate, identify the damage the regulations would cause to the use and value of private property, and look for voluntary solutions first. If an agency’s goals cannot be met voluntarily and damage to the use or value of private property occurs, the property owners must be compensated.

The Property Fairness Coalition needs about 225,000 registered voters to sign the initiative to get the measure on the Nov. 2 ballot. According to Darol Johnson, a supporter of I-932 and I-933, signature gatherers for both petitions will be at the Family Grocer in Duvall from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and at the abandoned gas station in the Cottage Lake area along the Woodinville-Duvall Road from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. the last weekend in April.