Next February’s special election, in which Valley voters weigh in on a new Fall City metropolitan park district, will become the first countywide election in King County to be conducted entirely by mail.

The all-mail switch was green-lighted following action last week by the Metropolitan King County Council to grant exceptions to conditions it set two years ago for implementation.

The King County Council unanimously approved a motion last week directing the King County Elections Division to proceed with an all-mail ballot for the special election on Feb. 3, 2009, despite a continuing vacancy in the office of superintendent of elections.

The Council in 2006 adopted an ordinance making King County the largest local jurisdiction in the nation to conduct all elections by mail, subject to the fulfillment of several requirements. One of those requirements has yet to be met: the appointment of a new superintendent of elections. Despite a targeted national search, recruitment for the position has been hampered by uncertainty over whether the position of elections director would become an elective position and, if so, who would win the office.

On the February special election ballot are the first election for the office of King County Director of Elections and the creation of a Fall City Metropolitan Park District and election of five commissioners.