The elected official who oversees elections and licensing in Snohomish County says there was nothing improper about her making robocalls supporting county executive candidate Dave Somers.
County Auditor Carolyn Weikel said a week after the Nov. 3 general election that she wouldn’t have publicly supported a candidate in a year that she is directly involved in the election.
This year, however, she is not on the county canvassing board. The canvassing board, which certifies election results and determines voter intent on questionable ballots, normally is made up of the county auditor, the county prosecuting attorney and the chairman of the county council, but if any of the three is on that year’s ballot he or she sends a representative. Weikel was on this year’s ballot, winning a third four-year term without opposition.
Election results show Democrat Somers defeating incumbent Democrat John Lovick 56 percent to 42 percent. Somers, current chairman of the County Council, also must excuse himself from the canvassing board.
Evan Smith can be reached at schsmith@frontier.com.
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