In November of 2012, San Juan County voters approved Charter Amendments recommended by the Charter Review Commission which made fundamental changes in the County's form of government.

Below are the dates of significant events in the implementation of those changes:

• November 6, 2012
  • Voters approve Amendments to the County Charter recommended by the Charter Review Commission
• November 27, 2012
  • With the certification of the election results, executive authority over the county government officially passes from the County Administrator to the current, elected six member County Council, and the position of County Administrator is eliminated.
  • The County Council approved a resolution naming County Manager Pro Tem Robert W. Jean the Interim County Manager and specifying that his duties and responsibilities will remain essentially unchanged until they are revised by an act of the Council. Jean's contract to serve as Interim Manager is set to expire on June 30, 2013.
• December 12-14, 2012
• Candidate filing period for new three-member council
  • Candidates may file paperwork along with the $749.30 filing fee with the County Elections division no later than 4:30 p.m., December 14. Paperwork may be submitted via email, fax or in person at the elections office in Friday Harbor. Candidacy petitions may be submitted instead of the fee. Contact the elections division at ph. 378-3357 for guidelines.
• January 1, 2013
  • Term begins for new members elected to the existing six member County Council. This Council will serve until  the new three-member Council provided for in the amended charter takes office in May, 2013.
  • February 12, 2013
    • County Council Primary Election (If Necessary)
    • If three or more candidates have filed for a single position on the council, a primary election will be held to narrow the field to two candidates per Residency District. Positions with fewer than three candidates will not be on the primary ballot.
• April 23, 2013
  • General Election for Council
• May 7, 2013
  • General Election Results Certified.
• May 13, 2013
• Terms of six-member Council end and members of new three-member Council take office. In order to have staggered terms, the new Council Members from residency districts 1 & 2 will serve terms ending in December 2016, while the Council member from Residency District 3 (which includes Shaw & Lopez) will serve only through December 2014.