EDMONDS — A man who’s run for elected office in the Edmonds area 12 times since 1997 and never won is back on the ballot, despite now living in Everett.
Edmonds School Board candidate Alvin Rutledge Jr., 79, is challenging incumbent Carin Chase for the board’s District 1 director position. But he sold his Lake Ballinger home in July and moved to Everett.
“After reviewing this policy and speaking with the county, if he wins the election, as long as he resides somewhere in the Edmonds School District, he’ll be able to serve on the board,” district spokeswoman Harmony Weinberg said Friday.
According to the county candidate guide, a prospective director must be a registered voter and resident of the district in which they’re running.
“My understanding is that we can’t take his name off the ballot,” Snohomish County Deputy Auditor Connie Barndt said Friday.
County elections manager Garth Fell said Rutledge was eligible when he filed to run and “there’s nothing in state law that talks about what happens in between.”
This is Rutledge’s 13th political bid, and his first for school board.
The school district spans Edmonds, Lynnwood and Mountlake Terrace, as well as Brier, Meadowdale and Woodway.
Carin Chase
Previously, he’s run for Edmonds City Council 10 times, challenging people like now-state Rep. Strom Peterson, D-Edmonds, Council President Adrienne Fraley-Monillas, mayoral candidate Mike Nelson and Mayor Dave Earling.
Additionally, he’s made two bids as a Republican for the state’s 32nd Legislative District.
In 2016, he challenged state Rep. Cindy Ryu, D-Shoreline, after advancing through the primary. Before that, he opposed then-state Rep. Ruth Kagi, D-Shoreline.
Rutledge, who filed for office two minutes before the deadline in May, could not be reached for comment.
The general election will be held Nov. 5.
Joey Thompson: 425-339-3449; jthompson@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @byjoeythompson.
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