We want to acknowledge that one of our members Cathy Gunderson was successful in court against Republican candidate Mark Hamilton who was running for Spokane City Council.  The Superior Court Judge agreed that Mark Hamilton could not legally appear on the ballot because he was not a legal resident of the city ward for the one year period required by law prior to filing for office, as reported in the Spokesman Review.  Cathy did this on her own, and Eastern Washington Voters cannot take any credit.

The troubled candidacy of Mark Hamilton came to an end Friday.

A Superior Court judge ruled that Hamilton failed to meet residency requirements for a Spokane City Council seat and prohibited his name from appearing on the general election ballot in November.
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Despite significant questions about Hamilton’s candidacy, he has been able to raise sizable amounts of campaign cash. According to the state’s Public Disclosure Commission, he has spent $5,200 of the $8,300 he has raised.Contributions have come from Spokane City Councilman Steve Salvatori, council candidate and former state legislator John Ahern, Spokane County Treasurer Rob Chase and former Supreme Court Justice Richard Sanders, among others.

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Carol McGirk and Cathy Gunderson, supporters of Waldref and residents of Spokane’s northeast district, first brought the complaint against Hamilton after an article appeared in The Spokesman-Review questioning his claims of residency.

Frank Malone, who represented McGirk and Gunderson, said before the hearing that he thought the ruling would go against his clients

“Judges are very reticent to decide elections,” he said. “You really don’t want that. Bush versus Gore. I still think about that.”

Related posts:

  1. Washington State Voters Guide is Supported by Kathleen Drew for Washington State Secretary State

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