Judge declares Camas’ John Ley ineligible candidate for 18th District race

Superior Court Judge David Gregerson has ruled that Camas resident John Ley — a frequent commenter at Camas City Council meetings — is an ineligible candidate in the race for the state’s 18th Legislative District, Position 2 seat. 

A Clark County resident, Carolyn Crain, challenged Ley’s residency after the Camas homeowner filed to run for the 18th District seat and listed Battle Ground, not Camas, as his city of residence. 

In a June 28 public hearing before Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey, Ley said he was renting a room in a friend’s Battle Ground home for $1 a month. 

Kimsey ruled in early July that Ley did not a Battle Ground residency. On July 11, Carolyn Crain and Penny Ross filed action with Clark County Superior Court alleging Ley is an ineligible candidate because he was not properly registered to vote in the 18th District at the time he filed his declaration of candidacy for such office. 

The Superior Court judge agreed. In his order, Gregerson stated the top two vote-getters in the Aug. 2 primary for the 18th District, Position 2 seat “other than John Ley” will move on to the November general election. 

The judge stated in his order that “printing and mailing new 2022 primary election ballots without Mr. Ley’s name listed as a candidate is prohibitive” so Ley’s name still appears on the Aug. 2 primary ballot. However, Gregerson has directed the Clark County Canvassing board to not include votes cast for Ley.

Clark County Elections Office is mailing a notice to each unique mailing address of all active registered voters in the 18th District to inform them of the Gregerson’s decision and its impact on the election. 

Due to redistricting, the boundaries for the state’s 18th and 17th legislative districts have changed in 2022, pushing Camas-Washougal voters out of the 18th District and into the newly redrawn 17th District. 

Clark County voters began receiving ballots for the Aug. 2 primary on July 15.