PORT ANGELES — The state Supreme Court ruled in favor of four Port Angeles City Council members, stating that John Worthington of Sequim does not have standing to recall them because he does not reside within the political subdivision.
The dispute hinges on the state Constitution’s directives regarding recall, which states that an elected public officer is subject to recall “by the legal voters of the state, or of the political subdivision of the state, from which he was elected.”
Worthington argued that he has standing, or legal ground, to initiate a recall because the council members’ operations with a nonprofit had influenced policy within Sequim and Clallam County, two political subdivisions to which Worthington belongs.
“Participation in nonprofits outside of Port Angeles does not somehow create a new political subdivision,” stated the opinion, which was released Thursday.
Additionally, Worthington said his status as a legal voter of the state grants him the ability to initiate a recall for elected public officers of any political subdivision, according to the opinion.
“This is incorrect,” the unanimous opinion read. “When a recall petition concerns elected public officers of a political subdivision, only legal voters in that political subdivision may seek their recall.”
“The city is pleased that the Supreme Court concurred with the city’s interpretation of the applicable statute,” city Communications Coordinator Jessica Straits said.
On Friday, Worthington filed a motion asking the Supreme Court to reconsider and reverse its decision.
Last July, Clallam County Superior Judge Lauren Erickson dismissed the recall petitions with prejudice, citing a lack of standing. She then granted the council members’ motion asking for Worthington to pay the attorney fees accrued by the city.
The Supreme Court upheld the awarding of attorney fees, stating that the recall petitions were “intentionally frivolous and filed in bad faith.”
While the city has not yet received a statement of all costs related to the case, as of this week, the cost statements amounted to about $74,000, Straits said.
The recall petitions, which were filed against city council members Kate Dexter, Navarra Carr, Lindsey Schromen-Wawrin and LaTrisha Suggs, maintained that they were not eligible for office because they are members of the nonprofit International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI).
Worthington did not initiate recalls against city council members Amy Miller or Drew Schwab because they were elected in 2023, and he did not have time to give them adequate notice, according to prior reporting.
While he would have liked to issue a recall petition for Brendan Meyer, Meyer fell off his radar, Worthington said.
Because the city is part of ICLEI, Worthington alleged that the council members are no longer qualified for office because they voluntarily relinquished citizenship and failed to post bond.
ICLEI is a global network of more than 2,500 local and regional governments committed to sustainable development. The nonprofit works to influence policy and develop solutions for climate change, urbanization and inequity and more, according to its website.
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Reporter Emma Maple can be reached by email at emma.maple@peninsuladailynews.com.
