The 2022 and 2024 voter registration challenges for 18th Legislative District candidate John Ley have been in the spotlight in recent months, but it’s certainly not the only voter registration challenge the county has received.

In 2023 and 2024, the county received more than 100 registration challenges. Most were filed by Marilyn Roggenkamp, ​​who serves as an election observer, and Lauren Colas. Both are Camas residents. Vancouver resident Sharon Long also filed a handful of challenges.

County Auditor Greg Kimsey said distrust in the security and integrity of US elections, which has been growing since 2020, is being felt at the local level. He said voters are questioning not just the outcome of the election. The voter registration process and voter database have also been criticized.

“From 1999 to the end of 2021, I think there were less than five voter registration appeals filed in that entire time period,” Kimsey said.

Ley’s voter registration was successful challenged in 2022 when running for the 18th District House seat. Ley claimed to be renting a room in the Battle Ground area for $1 a month, but his registration was deemed invalid after he could not confirm that he was actually living there and not at the Camas home which he owns. That house isn’t in the 18th District, but the Battle Ground address is. Ultimately, a court ruled that Ley was ineligible to run for the State House. He now faces criminal charges related to that run for office and voter registration information.

Ley’s registration was again contested when he filed to run for same place in 2024but was overruled by Kimsey following a hearing on October 10. Ley says he now lives in a Hazel Dell apartment.

Kimsey said that, as with Ley challenges, it can be difficult to prove or disprove a voter’s residency.

“There’s really no limit to the situations that someone could find themselves in where they’re eligible to be registered to vote in Clark County, but they’re currently sleeping in a different place,” Kimsey said.

People serving in the military, students attending college, retirees traveling abroad, and those with jobs that require extensive or long travel are just a few examples of why someone may not appear to live in Clark County, but is eligible to receive a ballot, Kimsey said. .

Voters can retain their residency if they are absent due to prison or if they are registered at a non-traditional address such as a shelter, park or port.

Many of the voter registration appeals were ultimately dismissed due to a lack of evidence or the voter updating their information or confirming their address, among other reasons. But about 20 challenges were accepted and the voters were made inactive in the database.

“Challenges with voter registration have definitely led to a more accurate voter registration database,” Kimsey said.

Challenging a voter’s registration requires more than signing and submitting a form. About 10 of the appeals filed in Clark County were dismissed because the appellant did not provide direct evidence. By state law, registration challenges must be based on the challenger’s personal knowledge and not on third-party allegations.

The person disputing the voter’s registration must provide proof that they sent a “return service requested” letter to all known addresses of the voter; searched the local phone books to determine if the voter is registered at any address in the county; searched county property records to determine if the voter owned property in the county; and searched the statewide voter registration database to determine if the voter is registered at any other address in the state. If the voter has moved to another state, the challenger may also be required to search that state’s voter registration database.

“I would encourage anyone considering filing a voter registration challenge to familiarize themselves with the relevant laws,” Kimsey said.

For more information, go to sos.wa.gov/elections/administrators/forms-templates/voter-registration-challenges.