Clark County Politics

Members of the Clark County Council are pictured after new councilors took the oath of office at the Clark County Public Service Center on Jan. 3, 2023. Councilors are Glen Yung, from left, Michelle Belkot, Karen Bowerman, on screen, Gary Medvigy and Sue Marshall.

Clark County Council delays action on climate plan, saying more public involvement needed

November 8, 2023, 6:08am Clark County News Updated 2 days ago

The Clark County Council unanimously agreed on Tuesday to push the passage of its public participation plan to late November, delaying a key element for shaping climate action in its comprehensive growth management plan. Read story

A homeless camp spreads out in a wooded area in Hazel Dell in 2019.

Clark County Council OKs camping ordinance that makes homeless eligible for Community Court

November 8, 2023, 6:05am Clark County News

The Clark County Council adopted an unlawful camping ordinance Tuesday after a public hearing, motivated by increased levels of unsheltered homelessness across the county. Read story

Incumbents, EMS levy faring well in initial Clark County election returns

November 7, 2023, 9:00pm Clark County News

Incumbents generally fared well in Tuesday’s general election, with all but four leading their challengers in early election returns from Clark County Elections. An EMS levy in Washougal was passing handily, receiving 80.02 percent of the vote. Read story

Construction continues at the third Safe Stay community in downtown Vancouver on Tuesday morning, Nov. 7, 2023. The city approved emergency declaration for homelessness on Monday night.

New emergency homelessness orders will allow Vancouver to restrict more camping, move faster on solutions

November 7, 2023, 11:17am Clark County News

The Vancouver City Council ratified three emergency orders Monday regarding homelessness, allowing the city to access emergency reserve funds, forgo some processes for accessing resources and designate up to 48 acres of public property and rights-of-way closed to camping. Read story

A voter drops off his ballot at a Clark County ballot drop box in the Vancouver Mall parking lot Nov. 3, 2020.

Today is Election Day in Clark County; have you voted?

November 7, 2023, 6:05am Clark County News

Election Day is here. Today is the last day to get your ballots in and have your vote counted. To be included in election results, ballots returned by regular mail must be postmarked by Nov. 7. Read story

Vancouver declares civil emergency: ‘Homelessness … continues to threaten the lives of residents of the city of Vancouver’

Tents sit in an empty lot behind Vancouver City Hall. Vancouver City Manager Eric Holmes declared a civic emergency on Friday in response to what the city describes as a "perfect storm" of increased criminal activity and drug use in camps and a growing disinterest among camp residents in getting help.

Vancouver City Manager Eric Holmes has declared a civil emergency in response to growing homelessness in the city; rising criminal activity and drug use in camps; and a general disinterest among the unhoused population in getting help. Read story

After weeks of absences, Clark County Council mum on chair Bowerman’s return

Clark County Council Chair Karen Dill Bowerman delivers the State of the County 2023 address in a prerecorded message.

November 2, 2023, 6:08am Clark County News Subscriber Exclusive

Karen Bowerman, chair of the Clark County Council, has been noticeably absent from council meetings. Bowerman, who usually attends meetings virtually, was last present for a council meeting Oct. 4. Read story