And speaking of of cleaning up the voter rolls, a registration challenge was filed Saturday against Ron Sims' nephew, who was registered to vote at Uncle Ron's house and voted absentee last September while living in New York, and is still registered at Uncle Ron's house even though he now resides in Spokane.
Ron Sims claims that there is a problem with the election department's "culture". And there is. But the cultural problem starts at the top. It emanates from an Executive who not only undermines election integrity in his management of the elections office, but also manifests the same disregard for election integrity in his private life, by allowing an obviously non-resident relative to vote from his own home.
Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at August 22, 2005 01:23 PM | Email ThisCan you inform us of the specific statute and/or case law under which "it is perfectly legal for him to live in Spokane and be registered in Seattle" that applies in this particular case?
Posted by: Stefan Sharkansky on August 22, 2005 03:32 PMIf he only votes once per election, I don't really care where he lives or is registered, although the state of Washington might.
Posted by: Mac on August 22, 2005 03:53 PMI don't like illegal voting any more than you do, and I am on the side of those who ferret it out and take action against it. I don't care if that's Ron Sims, or his nephew, or my best friend. We are all equal under the law, and we had better be.
When you satisfy that burden of proof in a court of law, and not before, I will congratulate you for it.
Posted by: Ivan on August 22, 2005 04:03 PMThe city of Vancouver has a library bond issue to be voted on in November & a C-Tran (bus) issue to be voted on in Sept. plus a county commissioner's race. There will be a tax increase if these issues pass. We had Oregon residents who voted by mail last Nov. If they are allowed to vote on these issues this fall and they pass, their property taxes will be unaffected. Is this fair?? Absolutely not! Local issues are important and only those qualified voters should be given the right to vote.
Posted by: Susu on August 22, 2005 04:14 PMwho have lived in the state, county, and precinct thirty days immediately preceding the election at which they offer to voteClearly that does not apply to Ron's nephew. Now I admit it's possible that Dean Logan, who will rule on the challenge, might subvert the plain language intent of the Constitution and use a tortured argument that defies common sense in order to avoid embarrassing his boss. But that is not the same as an unfounded assertion that it is "perfectly legal" to live in one county and vote in another. Posted by: Stefan Sharkansky on August 22, 2005 04:25 PM
This situation is widespread. In some cases it may be illegal, but not necessarily so, and not necessarily in the case you cite -- and you haven't just discovered it. Tell it to the judge.
Better you should worry about your poster JCH, who appears to be advocating hanging black people in Milwaukee and Philadelphia. Seems to me that's a more immediate law enforcement concern.
Posted by: Ivan on August 22, 2005 04:39 PMYou know as well as anyone that it is illegal to do what Ron Sims' nephew is doing, you just don't care because you like Sims.
You probably also know that neither you, Shark, nor any other citizen has standing or a cause of action to "tell it to [any] judge," in court.
Nice smart ass crappola on your part, but crappola just the same.
And when they do, they (legally & properly) re-register. All except democraps, who believe that they are above the law.
Posted by: alphabet soup on August 22, 2005 05:36 PMResidence as defined in the RCW's for voter registration:
"Residence" for the purpose of registering and voting means a person's permanent address where he or she physically resides and maintains his or her abode. However, no person gains residence by reason of his or her presence or loses his or her residence by reason of his or her absence:
(1) While employed in the civil or military service of the state or of the United States;
(2) While engaged in the navigation of the waters of this state or the United States or the high seas;
(3) While a student at any institution of learning;
(4) While confined in any public prison.
Absence from the state on business shall not affect the question of residence of any person unless the right to vote has been claimed or exercised elsewhere. (RCW 29A.04.151)
Is it irregular for him to be registered at his uncle's house, maybe. Is it illegal, not by a long shot. His residence is where he says it is whether you find it to be correct or not.
From the May 6, 2005 Colfax Daily Bulletin
Auditor pulls voter's card
Whitman County Auditor Eunice Coker after a hearing Wednesday ruled in favor of a voter registration challenge against King Rockhill. The challenge was filed in the auditor's office by Miriam Kruse of Garfield who contended Rockhill no longer resided in Garfield and now makes his home in Harvard, Idaho. Kruse contended a new pastor had moved into the house where the Rockhills formerly lived in Garfield.
The voter registration issue could extend beyond Rockhill's right to vote in Whitman County because he is a long-time member of the Garfield-Farmington Hospital District board. The board oversees the Garfield-Farmington Ambulance Service, Garfield Clinic and the new LaDow Court Assisted Living Center.
Coker ruled that the Rockhills' Latah County vehicle registrations sustained the argument that he no longer lived in Garfield. Rockhill at the hearing said he maintained a bank account and a post office box in Garfield. He contended the challenge to his voting status was part of a long-term form of harrassment by the Kruses.
Although the hospital board seat was not part of the Wednesday voter registration challenge, Rockhill's inability to establish residency could disqualify him from serving on the board of the district, Coker confirmed."
When Donald Sims, Jr. lived at Ronald Sims' house, he legally registered to vote at that address in Seattle and King County.
So long as Donald Jr. doesn't register to vote somewhere else, it is perfectly legal for him to remain on the King County voter registration rolls.
And it is also perfectly legal for him to continue to vote (or not) in this same Seattle precinct, so long as he doesn't register somewhere else.
On the other hand, the challenge to his King County voter registration should succeed, since it can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt that he lives in Spokane County.
At that point, Donald Jr. will no longer be registered and he won't be able to vote a regular ballot anymore in King County.
Posted by: Richard Pope on August 22, 2005 07:17 PMDoes that mean as a Lewis County resident, I can cancel my registration here, and register in King County, say at that one "homeless" building?
Then I could vote for David Irons !!!!
Tell me it is possible!!!!
Oh hell, just go ahead and vote for me. If a SOS in GA can vote in KC, then this REDNECK can too.
And Ivan, don't be so intentionally dense. JCH didn't call for hangin' blacks...just criminals. Or are you being the racist by assuming that those who commit such dastardly deeds are minorities.
Posted by: Danny on August 22, 2005 08:45 PMRon Sims needs to be outed for his role in this form of election registration fraud! It's just that simple!
He is the King County Executive for God's sake! He should have known better than to allow this questionable registration of his nephew at his residence! But Ron Sims wanted as many votes for himself for the Governors race as possible.
This is just another blatant example of how Ron Sims is *ethically* challenged and should be removed from office!
Posted by: Deborah on August 22, 2005 09:47 PMThe real question, I believe, is did Don ever live with Ron. You can't show me anywhere in the law that allows you to register somewhere you have never lived.
Posted by: Michael on August 22, 2005 11:23 PMSee http://www.metrokc.gov/elections/ and click on the blue "Election Information" button on the right. Oh, didn't anything happen?
Try right-click, New Window. It's what occupies Mr. Sims so much of the time!
Posted by: Cryptometaphor on August 22, 2005 11:57 PMNo need to answer, it is obvious that Democrats don’t care.
Get the picture? Chances are that Don Jr. never lived at Ron's house, and that alone gives reasons why his registration was illegal to begin with. Furthermore, if Don Jr. paid in-state fee and tuition through his college, this would also be a case of public embazzlement in the tune of several tens of thousands.
Posted by: C. Oh on August 23, 2005 09:51 AMSide note:
Watching Ron Sims lead a union machinists march against Boeing had to be the feather in his hat. That picture will look great showing how the current regime loves local business and I hope it is used in the upcoming election for Irons.
Who cares? Sims knows, we know, everyone knows. It doesn't matter if it is "technically" legal or not.
Sims doesn't care either about the legality or the appearances and he proves it through his own BAD HOME TRAINING.
Then--Step down gracefully and help the transition. All sides would respect that a lot more--
This is not about you, Mr. Sims, or a building/legacy you want named after you--this is about something much bigger than you--integrity and the voters to whom you report--
stop with the simley-face gentleman act; everyone reaches back and checks their wallet after your handshake;
Posted by: Jimmie-howya-doin on August 25, 2005 11:50 PM