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Vancouver, Wash. – Superior Court Judge David Gregerson has ordered that John Ley is an ineligible candidate for Washington state’s 18th Legislative District State Representative Position No. 2 and directs the Clark County Canvassing board, in its certification of the 2022 primary election, to not include votes cast for Ley.
On May 26, 2022 Ley’s voter registration was challenged by Carolyn Crain alleging he did not reside at the address that he provided when updating his voter registration on April 4, 2022. Following a public hearing on June 28, 2022, the challenge to John Ley’s voter registration was upheld.
On July 11, 2022 Carolyn Crain and Penny Ross filed action with Clark County Superior Court alleging that John Ley is an ineligible candidate because he was not properly registered to vote in the 18th Legislative District at the time he filed his declaration of candidacy for such office. Today’s order is in response to Crain and Ross’s action.
The order further states “with respect to the 2022 election for the office of 18th Legislative District, State Representative, Position 2, the top two candidates . . . certified as qualified to appear on the general election ballot pursuant to RCW 29A.52.112(2), shall be the two highest vote-getters for such office other than John Ley.” In addition, “votes cast for [Ley] . . . on 2022 primary election ballots will not be used to determine which two candidates for that office [of the 18th Legislative District] will appear on the 2022 general election ballot.”
Clark County Elections Office will mail a notice to each unique mailing address of all active registered voters in the 18th Legislative District informing them of the judge’s order and its effect.
Clark County voters began receiving their ballots for the August 2, 2022 Primary on July 15, 2022. As the judge stated in his order “printing and mailing new 2022 primary election ballots without Mr. Ley’s name listed as a candidate is prohibitive.” Ballots with John Ley’s name printed on them are valid ballots and when returned by voters will be processed pursuant to federal, state and county laws.
CONTACT:
Greg Kimsey, Auditor
564.397.2078
greg.kimsey@clark.wa.gov