1. Why is King County using a logo with an image of Martin Luther King Jr.?
   Just like the State of Washington and City of Seattle have logos in the image of their namesakes George Washington and Chief Sealth, King County is adopting the image of its namesake. King County changed its namesake in 1986 to the slain civil rights leader and Nobel Laureate because he is more representative of the values of the government and the people who live here. The original namesake was William Rufus deVane King, a slave owner and advocate of the Fugitive Slave Act who was vice president of the United States in 1852.

2. Who designed the logo? How were the designers chosen?
   Tony Gable, a highly regarded local designer, and Tony Gable Design Group created the new logo. He was awarded the contract in a competitive process administered by 4Culture, King County's cultural service provider, to oversee the process. 29 local and national firms applied for the contract, the largest number of applicants for a design contract in King County history. A committee consisting of a graphic designer, county managers and representatives of elected leaders chose the designer.

3. How was the logo chosen?
   The unanimous decision was made by a committee of King County elected leaders: Prosecutor Norm Maleng, Sheriff Sue Rahr, Superior Court Presiding Judge Michael Trickey, County Council Chairman Larry Gossett and King County Executive Ron Sims. Preliminary selection was made by a committee consisting of community representatives of the arts community, a graphic designer and two King County Department managers.

4. How were King County citizens involved in picking the logo?
   The designer conducted a series of meetings and focus groups attended by community members and community leaders.

5. When will the new logo be used on county buildings, buses and equipment?
   In order to keep costs to a minimum, the gold crown and the new logo will both be seen on county materials, equipment and facilities. The county has a five year plan that includes using up existing supplies before ordering new supplies with the new logo. The new logo will be applied to new equipment and will be visible immediately on most Web pages and outreach materials.

6. Why did the logo need to change?
   A logo sends an instant message about an organization. Elected leaders believed the gold crown needed to be replaced with something that represented the values of a forward-thinking government that values justice, diversity and equality.

7. How much will this cost the county?
   It is expected the cost will be approximtely $600,000 over five years. The county has a five year plan that includes using up existing supplies before ordering new supplies with the new logo. This will save costs in printing as well as utilizing existing materials.

Related information

• Gable Design Group
• William R. King, Wikipedia