Evaluation of Washington county websites

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This page captures a snapshot of the information contributed by Sunshine Review users after they've studied the information made available on Washington county websites.

See also: County websites, state-by-state comparison, to compare what you can find on Wisconsin's county websites to what can be found on county websites in other states.

Reading the chart

In the chart below:

	means that information is included on the government website
	means that the information was not provided on the government website
P	means that information was partially provided

Check the Sunshine Review page about each county for more detailed information about what information is available on the county website, along with recommendations SR users have made for positive changes.

• See sample transparency legislation at the Sunshine Standard

Conclusions chart

2012

In 2012, Sunshine Review evaluated the five largest counties and found they averaged a "B" website transparency grade.

	Budget?	Meetings?	Elected officials?	Admin. Officials?	Permits/ Zoning?	Audits?	Contracts?	Lobbying?	Public records?	Taxes?
Y	5	5	5	2	5	5	1	0	5	5
P	0	0	0	3	0	0	3	0	0	0
N	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	5	0	0

Comparison chart

County	Grades	Budget	Meetings	Elected Officials	Admin. Officials	Permits/ Zoning	Audits	Contracts	Lobbying	Public records	Taxes
Clark County, Washington	B	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	P	N	Y	Y
King County, Washington	B	Y	Y	Y	P	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y
Pierce County, Washington	B	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	P	N	Y	Y
Snohomish County, Washington	B-	Y	Y	Y	P	Y	Y	P	N	Y	Y
Spokane County, Washington	B-	Y	Y	Y	P	Y	Y	N	N	Y	Y

2009

In 2009 the counties averaged a "C" website transparency grade.

	Budget?	Meetings?	Elected officials?	Admin. Officials?	Permits/ Zoning?	Audits?	Contracts?	Lobbying?	Public records?	Taxes?
Y	25	31	27	35	31	16	0	0	23	27
P	0	7	12	4	5	2	10	0	6	9
N	14	1	0	0	3	21	29	39	10	3

Comparison chart

Please check each district to see when it was last rated, if there is no time stamp then check the "History" tab to see when it was last edited.

County	Grades	Budget	Meetings	Elected Officials	Admin. Officials	Permits/ Zoning	Audits	Contracts	Lobbying	Public records	Taxes
Adams County, Washington	C	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	Y	Y
Asotin County, Washington	D-	P	P	Y	Y	P	N	N	N	Y	P
Benton County, Washington	B-	Y	Y	P	Y	Y	Y	P	N	Y	Y
Chelan County, Washington	C	Y	Y	Y	P	Y	Y	N	N	Y	P
Clallam County, Washington	B-	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	P	Y
Clark County, Washington	B	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	P	N	Y	Y
Columbia County, Washington	D	N	Y	P	Y	Y	N	N	N	Y	P
Cowlitz County, Washington	B-	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	P	N	Y	P
Douglas County, Washington	C	P	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	Y	Y
Ferry County, Washington	D	Y	Y	P	Y	P	N	N	N	Y	N
Franklin County, Washington	B	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	Y	Y
Garfield County, Washington	F	N	N	P	Y	P	N	N	N	N	N
Grant County, Washington	C-	N	Y	Y	Y	P	N	N	N	Y	Y
Grays Harbor County, Washington	B	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	Y	Y
Island County, Washington	C-	P	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N	Y
Jefferson County, Washington	B	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	P	N	Y	Y
King County, Washington	B	Y	Y	Y	P	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y
Kitsap County, Washington	B	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	P	N	Y	Y
Kittitas County, Washington	B-	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	P	N	Y	P
Klickitat County, Washington	C-	P	Y	P	Y	Y	N	N	N	Y	Y
Lewis County, Washington	B-	Y	Y	P	Y	Y	Y	N	N	Y	Y
Lincoln County, Washington	C	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	Y	Y
Mason County, Washington	B	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	Y	Y
Okanogan County, Washington	D	N	P	P	Y	Y	N	N	N	Y	Y
Pacific County, Washington	D	Y	P	P	Y	Y	Y	P	N	N	P
Pend Oreille County, Washington	C-	P	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	Y	P
Pierce County, Washington	B	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	P	N	Y	Y
San Juan County, Washington	B-	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	P	N	Y	Y
Skagit County, Washington	B	Y	Y	P	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y
Skamania County, Washington	D	P	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	N	P
Snohomish County, Washington	B-	Y	Y	Y	P	Y	Y	P	N	Y	Y
Spokane County, Washington	B-	Y	Y	Y	P	Y	Y	N	N	Y	Y
Stevens County, Washington	F	N	P	P	P	Y	N	N	N	N	Y
Thurston County, Washington	B-	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	P	Y
Wahkiakum County, Washington	C-	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N	Y	N
Walla Walla County, Washington	C	Y	P	P	Y	Y	Y	N	N	Y	Y
Whatcom County, Washington	B	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	P	N	Y	Y
Whitman County, Washington	F	N	Y	P	Y	N	N	N	N	N	P
Yakima County, Washington	B	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	P	N	Y	Y

See also

• Evaluation of ballot measure information on Washington county websites

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