Update:
The News Tribune
wrote about this on Oct. 15th. Read it
here.
Also
see:
RCWs per WA Voting Elections.doc
Please do not elect Jan Shabro Auditor!
by
Marianne Lincoln
This is an account of
events that happened in my campaign for Bethel
School Director, Position 3 in the election year
2009, Pierce County Washington.
-Marianne
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At 4:29pm on Friday, June 5th 2009, I filed for the
vacant Position 3 school director seat for the
Bethel School District. I was unopposed for the
position. The requirements to run for this office
were simple. You had to be a registered voter in
that director district. I fit the qualifications.
On Monday, July 13, 2009 at 2:24pm, I received a
phone call from Jan Shabro. My sister had called her
and stated she wanted to file a voter registration
challenge against me because I was registered to
vote at her house but no longer lived there.
I explained to Jan that all my personal effects were
at that address; I used to live there but had issues
with my sister and had to move out. I had not moved
to a new residence of my own, I was staying with
various relatives and friends due having just been
on my 100 day annual layoff from my job. I explained
that I just started my new contract and would be
moving into my own place as soon as I could find
one. I told her I understood the boundary issue for
the position. I asked if we could take a few days to
sort it out. I was sure there was no problem.
Jan acted as if I was in criminal violation of the
law and demanded to know where I was living the day
I filed for office. I tried to explain that it was
not the issue. She argued and said she would have to
speak to her deputy. She told me she wanted me to
withdraw from the race. I told her I didn’t want to
withdraw. She called back and told me she was going
to contact the Prosecutor’s office.
The next time she called, I let the call go to
voicemail. In the voice mail she tells me, “We’ve
checked with the Prosecuting Attorney and it’s kind
of serious, Marianne…”
I called her back and she told me she talked to the
prosecutor and she would have to file charges if I
didn’t withdraw. She also said there was a Fife
candidate that just withdrew and she wanted to
advertise both positions and open a special filing
period at the same time to save money.
I tried to explain that I would be moving soon, that
I didn’t believe I was violating any laws and that I
did not want to withdraw from my uncontested race.
We argued round and round and she finally told me
she wanted to hear from me by the end of the day.
At 4:37pm she called me and left a message. I called
her back. She told me she had spoken with the
Prosecutor. That this was serious and that if I
didn’t withdraw she would file fraud charges against
me in the morning.
I told her, “Go ahead. I don’t think I’m wrong.”
She said, “Oh, Marianne, you don’t want to do that!”
The conversation got a bit testy at that point. I
did not want to withdraw. I did not believe there
was a problem. Of course, this was during my work
day at my new job. Getting testy on the phone was
the last thing I needed. I was worried I would upset
people in nearby offices. After trying in vain to
argue with her for 15 minutes, she continued to
pressure me and threaten felony prosecution.
I finally decided I really didn’t want to start out
on the board with a ruckus between me and the
Auditor or the district and I certainly didn’t want
a felony because I am too involved in campaigns to
want to lose my right to vote. So under duress, I
agreed to withdraw.
A couple says later, when I had calmed down some, a
friend sent me Article VI, Section 4 of the
Washington State Constitution. There, in black and
white, were the words that told me I was legally
registered at my sister’s since I was currently
homeless. I contacted a former Auditor; she told me
there was a standard procedure for all voter
registration challenges and all the staff was very
familiar with it. I had been duped.
So when the special filing period was opened, I
marched right down first thing in the morning and
re-filed for the position. Of course, so did two
other people. One has since withdrawn. The other, an
old friend, told me he was asked to run; but he
would not say by whom.
So my formerly uncontested race had now become
contested. The complexion of the election was
altered by the Auditor when she pressured me to
withdraw.
Now there is more to this.
The Auditor is a Republican.
The Deputy Auditor, Deryl McCarty, is a former
Republican County Chair.
I am a Democrat Precinct Committee Officer and have
been the campaign coordinator for Senator Marilyn
Rasmussen for many years. Those years included 2004,
when Deryl McCarty lost to her in a Senate race.
At the time there was an open legislative seat for
2010, due to Tom Campbell’s interest in the 9th
Congressional seat. A sitting Democrat in a
non-partisan school board position has a great deal
of visibility, particularly one that has experience
running legislative races.
Do you suppose there was possibly more to this than
just an ill-guided challenge by my sister who was
not familiar with the details of campaign law? I
most certainly do.
After have a few weeks to research the law and speak
with former auditors and the Secretary of State’s
office, it is widely held that the requirement for
election is a person be a registered voter in the
district and the period of time they must physically
live in the proper location is the 30 days before
the election, not 30 days before the time of filing
for office.
I believe I was cheated.
I believe there were election laws violated.
I pulled public information requests and did not
find any record or person who knew of her having
contacted the Prosecutor about me that day. Her own
notes from that day say to call the Prosecutor, but
do not acknowledge that she did.
People need to know Jan Shabro did this.
According to my conversations with the News Tribune
Editors, she has now admitted that she should have
offered me due process instead of demanding my
withdrawl.
… and what if I lose…. ?
Do you really want this person elected to the
Auditor’s post?
I certainly do not.
Marianne Lincoln
POBox 875, Spanaway, WA 98387
mscott@mashell.com
253-847-8000
In the beginning of a change the patriot is a
scarce man, and brave, and hated and scorned. When
his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it
costs nothing to be a patriot.
- Mark Twain, Notebook, 1904
