EDITOR’S NOTE: This report has been corrected to reflect the number of elections worked by Shoona Riggs.
PORT ANGELES — Clallam County’s elections supervisor is also a candidate on the Nov. 4 ballot, but Shoona Riggs and the auditor she wants to replace say extra safeguards are in place to avoid a conflict of interest, perceived or otherwise.
“As election supervisor, it is my job to oversee and conduct the election and to make sure that every policy and procedure is being followed,” Riggs said.
Riggs, 41, is running against county Health and Human Services Administrative Coordinator Kim Yacklin, 50, in a nonpartisan contest to succeed retiring Auditor Patty Rosand.
In addition to handling vehicle licensing, financial services, marriage licenses, passports and the recording of property documents and deeds, the Clallam County Auditor’s Office conducts federal, state and local elections and manages voter registrations.
The elections supervisor oversees a small elections staff and fills in where needed.
“I am never there with the ballots by myself, ever,” Riggs said.
Riggs has recused herself from opening ballots in this year’s all-mail election.
She also has recused herself from the duplication process, in which a fresh ballot is filled out if a voter makes a mistake and crosses out a particular candidate or ballot measure.
“The integrity of the election is first and foremost for us, and we will do nothing to jeopardize it,” Rosand said.
Yacklin was not available for comment Thursday.
Rosand, who has endorsed her chief deputy, raised the possibility of a perceived conflict of interest with the Clallam County Canvassing Board after the August primary.
The canvassing board, which includes county Commissioner Mike Chapman and Civil Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Kristina Nelson-Gross, had “no problem” with Riggs’ presence on the ballot in a transparent election, Rosand said.
The canvassing board understood the staffing limitations that prevented Riggs from recusing herself from the general election entirely, Rosand said.
She asked the office of the Washington secretary of state to provide a representative to oversee the Clallam County election beyond the normal scope of a scheduled five-year review.
The representative will “be here almost every day starting next Wednesday throughout the election,” Riggs said.
“We have also contacted the political parties and asked them to have observers here,” Rosand said.
“We are giving them as much notice as we can about what we are doing on what days.”
Trained observers will be on hand to make sure the proper procedures are being followed.
“We’ve got all those safeguards in place,” Rosand said.
Ballots for the Nov. 4 election were mailed to registered voters Wednesday.
As they come in, duplicate ballots are placed into a separate pile.
They are reviewed by a canvassing board delegate, according to a voter intent manual provided by the state.
“Patty and I will not be duplicating those duplicated ballots,” Riggs said.
“I personally do not make any decisions on anything.”
Properly marked ballots go straight into a scanning machine.
Ron Richards, a poll watcher for the Clallam County Democratic Party and a former county commissioner, said it was his understanding as recently as Tuesday that Riggs would indeed duplicate ballots for this year’s election.
Her doing so is “unquestionably a conflict” and likely a due-process violation, he said.
Richards also raised a concern about Riggs conducting an accuracy test of the ballot-counting machine.
“She shouldn’t be involved,” he said.
Rosand sent an email to Richards and others Thursday expanding on the precautions taken for this year’s election.
“Shoona has not been on the duplication board for the last several elections,” Rosand wrote.
“I do not intend to have her on the duplication board for this election.”
Said Richards: “I’m glad to hear that Patty has decided to take Shoona off the duplication process.
“That was sort of a no-brainer.”
Riggs said she would help scan ballots but would not count votes or duplicate any ballot.
“I take pride in my job, whether on I’m on the ballot or not,” said Riggs, who has worked on more than 60 elections over 14 years.
“I have no intention of taking away any of the integrity that I have built with the election community by not doing my job to the best of my ability like I have done in every other election.”
She added: “There is no job to me that is worth going to jail over.
“I love my job too much.”
Riggs said she is willing to explain the election process and address specific concerns with citizens.
In Jefferson County, deputy auditor and chief accountant Rose Ann Carroll is running against real estate appraiser Judy Maves-Klatt to replace retiring Auditor Donna Eldridge.
Rosand predicted a 65 percent turnout in Clallam County — high for a non-presidential election year — because of high-profile local races and controversial state gun initiatives.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
The North Olympic Peninsula Voter Guide can be accessed here: http://issuu.com/peninsuladailynews/docs/voter_tab_1017.indd?e=1313114/9756547
