Jessie Stensland reports from Island County Superior Court for the Whidbey News-Times. Read the whole story.
Litigation and prosecution related to a mask mandate at the Island County Elections Office isn’t going away anytime soon.
The plaintiffs and attorneys in a lawsuit against the Island County auditor and the county canvassing board filed a notice May 1 that they are appealing a judge’s decision to dismiss the case.
Tim Hazelo and Tracy Abuhl, who were Republican election observers last year, filed a motion for an injunction earlier this year to prevent Auditor Sheilah Crider from enforcing her decision to require people in the ballot counting room to wear masks. Island County Prosecutor Greg Banks successfully sought to have the case dismissed.
In addition, the criminal cases against Hazelo and Abuhl remain unresolved. Island County Prosecutor Greg Banks charged both of Hazelo and Abuhl with unauthorized access to a voting center, disorderly conduct and criminal trespass in the first degree. The unauthorized access charge is a felony. They both pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Ed. Note: Island County Prosecuting Attorney Greg Banks indicated “No Party Preference” when he last ran for re-election in 2022. In previous elections, he stated that he preferred the Democratic Party.
