Voters Return to Strong Mayor in 1981

It was 30 years ago this week that Anacortes residents abandoned a council-mayor form of municipal government in order to return to a strong mayor (full-time, no manager) system. The election took place November 4, 1981, when I was a reporter at the Skagit Valley Herald. Part of my regular coffee group these days is Don Coughlin, active in 1981 as part of the “People’s Choice” group that led the campaign to return to a strong mayor system. “I never doubted it would turn out this way,” said Coughlin at the time. “What we have to understand is, this is the people of Anacortes talking.” The vote that upset the council-manager system was 1,712 to 1,360. First elected mayor after that decision was Jim Rice. He was followed by Doyle Geer, who was followed by present mayor Dean Maxwell.