PORT TOWNSEND — The Jefferson County Auditor has outlined reasons for her rejection of a residency challenge by one county commission candidate against another.
The complaint was filed by Dan Youra against Tim Thomas, both Republican candidates for the District 2 commissioner’s seat now held by Democrat David Sullivan, who is running for reelection.
One of the three candidates will be eliminated after the Aug. 7 primary, with the top-two vote-getters moving on to the Nov. 6 general election.
Youra has said that Thomas did not live in District 2 when he filed for office May 18 and that his residency in the district he seeks to represent is fraudulent.
Auditor Donna Eldridge ruled on June 11 that Youra’s challenge was insufficient to remove Thomas from the ballot.
Youra filed a notice of reconsideration June 19, asking Eldridge to re-examine her decision, citing eight areas where he believed she was mistaken.
Among these was an assertion that Eldridge ignored key evidence and did not understand the law.
In her written response, emailed to Youra on Tuesday, Eldridge cited the statutes she used to support her decision.
Youra had said that the burden of proof is a responsibility of the challenged voter. while Eldridge responded — and had said at the hearing — that the burden is on the challenger.
Eldridge accepted Youra’s challenge June 19 but verbally informed him then that she would not reconsider her decision and that he would need to file in Superior Court if he wanted to pursue the matter.
Youra did not immediately respond to a call requesting comment.
He has said in the past that he did not want to go to court because it would cost money that would be better spent on his campaign.
Ballots cannot be changed now.
“The ballots are printed and have already gone out to our military voters,” Eldridge said.
Ballots will be mailed to other voters July 18.
Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
