Lin's residency meeting opened

EPHRATA — The Grant County Canvassing Board decided to keep an upcoming meeting on prosecutor candidate Albert Lin’s residency open to the public.

The meeting is set for noon on Monday in the Grant County commissioners hearing room in the courthouse building in Ephrata.

“We’re going to do it just so the public can hear what we are thinking,” said commissioner Carolann Swartz. “We have nothing to hide.”

The board will determine if Lin is a resident of Grant County and meets criteria to be a registered voter and hold public office.

Dave Canfield challenged Lin on whether he is a county resident with Grant County Auditor Bill Varney.

The board will be deliberating Monday on information provided by attorneys for Canfield and Lin at a previous meeting.

Canfield accuses Lin of moving out of Grant County after he lost his Ephrata home in a divorce. Lin claims he continues to reside in the county on weekends while staying in Western Washington during the week to work.

If the board decides Lin is a resident, his primary ballot will count and he can continue running for office.

If the board decides he is not a resident, his vote is discarded and he cannot hold office in Grant County until he meets residency criteria. He would have until Oct. 4 to find a new home in Grant County and re-register to vote. That is the state deadline for registering to vote in the Nov. 2 general election.

The board is comprised of Katie Blinn, assistant director of elections in the Secretary of State’s office, Varney and Swartz. Blinn was appointed to replace Prosecutor Angus Lee because Lin is challenging Lee for the position of prosecutor in the general election.

The initial meeting was open to the public, but a discussion began about the board deliberating behind closed doors. It is an option for the board as their decision is considered quasi-judicial and would be exempt from the Open Public Meetings Act, according to Blinn.

The Columbia Basin Herald opposed the meeting being closed to the public due to the impact the board’s decision could have on the election.

Thursday morning, Swartz said the board decided to keep the meeting open to the public.

“It is really important for the public to know what we are bringing to this decision ... it could have far-reaching effects in the future,” said Swartz.

The board will deliberate and decide Monday, and issue a written order on Tuesday.

The challenge needs to be resolved before Sept. 1 to enable the board to ratify the ballots cast in the primary election on time.