Third-place finisher files motion to join GOP lawsuit in lands commissioner race

(The Center Square) – Sue Kuehl Pederson, a Republican candidate for state public lands commissioner who failed to advance after the August primary, has filed a motion to intervene in a case filed by the Washington State Republican Party.

As previously reported by The Center Square, Kuehl Pederson trailed Democrat Dave Upthegrove after the Aug. 6 primary, but by such a narrow margin – 51 votes – that it triggered an automatic hand recount of ballots.

After the recount, conducted by election officials in all 39 WA counties, Upthegrove won it by 49 votes, securing the second spot on the Nov. 5 general election.

Former Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler, a Republican, earned the most votes in the primary and will face Upthegrove this November.

Two days after the hand recount result was certified by the Secretary of State's Office, attorneys for the Washington State Republican Party filed a lawsuit against King County over use of an online system to aid voters in fixing, or “curing,” signature issues on their ballots, so they can be counted.

King County is the only county in Washington that uses the that uses the OmniBallot app, an electronic method of delivering and returning ballots.

At the time the GOP filed its legal challenge in Snohomish County Court, Kuehl Pederson was not a party to it, but this week filed a motion to intervene.

Washington State Republican Party Chair Jim Walsh told The Center Square the party is “neutral” on her asking to join, but is concerned it could slow the case down.

“We’re not for it, or against it,” he said.

A Friday email from the Upthegrove campaign suggested Kuehl Pederson’s motion to intervene is an attempt to suppress votes.

“This is part of a broader GOP strategy to suppress valid votes and make it harder for people to exercise their right to vote in the future,” the email said. “Unfortunately, making it harder for people to vote is becoming standard GOP playbook.”

Walsh conceded that with just over five weeks until the general election, getting an order from the court is not about changing the primary result, but possibly impacting the way King County conducts its ballot curing in the upcoming election.

Ballot to overseas and military voters have already been mailed out and remaining ballots for the general election are expected to be in the mail no later than Oct. 18.