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| Year | Stories |
|---|---|
| 1854 | 5 |
| 1859 | 1 |
| 1861 | 1 |
| 1862 | 1 |
| 1863 | 1 |
| 1871 | 1 |
| 1872 | 3 |
| 1876 | 8 |
| 1877 | 11 |
| 1878 | 4 |
| 1883 | 7 |
| 1884 | 4 |
| 1885 | 7 |
| 1886 | 4 |
| 1887 | 2 |
| 1888 | 3 |
| 1889 | 22 |
| 1890 | 3 |
| 1891 | 22 |
| 1892 | 29 |
| 1893 | 34 |
| 1894 | 44 |
| 1895 | 56 |
| 1898 | 1 |
| 1899 | 9 |
| 1903 | 14 |
| 1904 | 8 |
| 1905 | 1 |
| 1908 | 6 |
| 1909 | 40 |
| 1910 | 6 |
| 1911 | 3 |
| 1912 | 1 |
| 1914 | 5 |
| 1915 | 2 |
| 1916 | 10 |
| 1917 | 4 |
| 1918 | 1 |
| 1923 | 3 |
| 1925 | 1 |
| 1929 | 1 |
389 stories matching amend
- A Seattle Election Was Decided by Charter Procedure—and the Supreme Court Let It Stand
The state Supreme Court upheld amendments that cut Seattle’s house of delegates to one member per ward, dooming V. P. Wiesemnal’s bid to take a seat under the old rules.
- State Legislature Grants Cities Local Control
A landmark bill passes in Olympia, allowing smaller towns to incorporate and manage their own debts, fueling the boom of the 1890s.
- The Fight to Modernize City Hall
Seattle's Chamber of Commerce debates radical changes to city governance, including the push for initiative and referendum to curb council power.
- The Democrats’ Loyalty Test in Olympia
A December 1859 caucus of Democratic territorial legislators spent the evening arguing over who was pure enough to hold House offices — and who had backed the party’s last congressional nominee.
- The Senatorial Tug-of-War Over Freight Rates
Legislators grapple with railroad lobbying as the public pushes for rate reductions on critical state transport.
- Olympia’s Capitol Fight: Donate the Land or Lose the Statehouse
A late-night Senate debate over the new state capitol turned on eleven acres, a $150,000 land scheme and whether Olympia should pay to keep the building—before the bill passed to applause.
- The Great Washington Enrolment Error: How a Senate Amendment Slipped Into a Harbor Bill
A clerical mistake in the final printing of a river and harbor bill has inserted a controversial $10 million amendment intended for Galveston into legislation for Seattle's Elliott Bay, sparking threats of filibuster and legal chaos.
- The Fifty-Year Streetcar Bargain
Seattle's house of delegates spent a night haggling over Fred Sander's railway franchise—how much rent, how often, and whether Seattle-made steel could be required.
- Councilors Accused of Plotting Political Machine
Proposed charter amendments spark fears of a power grab by council leaders aiming to consolidate control over city jobs and bypass civil service protections.
- The Eight-Hour Day That Was Amended to Death
A bold proposal to limit public works labor to eight hours faces a grim fate in the Washington State Senate, where 'amendments' have stripped the bill of its power before it can even reach the House.
- City Council Caught in Railroad’s Pocket
Aberdeen’s local officials are handing over the city’s future by letting railroad attorneys draft their own franchise terms during council meetings.
- The People vs. the Railroads: Olympia Debates a Rate Cap
While the Capitol fought off adjournment, a bill to cap passenger and freight rates reached the floor of the Washington House — with Populists demanding an up-or-down vote and railroad men asking for more time.
- The Single Tax Takes Root in Everett
Following a recent election, the approval of a single tax amendment signals a shift in local economic policy and the influence of Henry George's theories.
- The Elective Franchise Bill Fails—With Indians Explicitly Barred
A proposed constitutional amendment in Olympia would have fixed voting rules for male citizens while writing 'Indians not taxed' out of the franchise; it died on the floor.
- Labor Union Debates Political Independence
The Western Central Labor Union clashes over whether to endorse candidates for public office, citing a struggle to stay free from the influence of city hall appointments.
- The 1914 Ballot: Restricting Alien Land Ownership
Voters face a pivotal constitutional amendment determining if non-citizens can own property within municipal borders.
- The Silver Question and the Workingman's Wage
A political maneuver in the House of Representatives forces a debate on whether wages and savings should be paid in gold or silver.
- The Price of City Hall
Tacoma prepares to put a price tag on its public servants, setting new salary caps for city officials ahead of the April 1904 election.
- Legislature Debates Railroad Control
A fiery session at Olympia pits regional interests against railroad power as lawmakers debate how to regulate freight rates.
- The Oyster Trust Comes for Willapa Bay
Oystermen in South Bend fight a Senate amendment that would let a San Francisco corporation keep its grip on Willapa Bay's oyster beds.
- Olympia Named Temporary Seat of Government
The Council debates and finalizes the definition of judicial districts, securing Olympia's status as the provisional capital.
- Puget Sound Secures the New Navy Yard
Washington State beats Oregon in Senate lobbying, winning the site for the Pacific naval station.
- The Senator Who Built a Dry Dock: Washington’s First Federal Win
Senator Henry Mason Allen secures $100,000 for a naval facility at Port Orchard, marking one of the first major federal infrastructure wins for the young state.
- The Fight for an Independent Judiciary
A skeptical look at a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow the legislature to pack the state supreme court.
- The Great Legal Squabble of 1871
A simmering territorial dispute over the 'Big Wigs'—the lawyers and judges—debating exactly when a law becomes a law.