King County prosecutors monitor voter intimidation, election interference

The King County Prosecutor’s Office is monitoring threats to voters and potential interference with election administration, with criminal prosecutors and civil attorneys prepared to respond, spokesperson Casey McNerthney told “Seattle’s Morning News.”

While the office may not be the first agency people associate with voting, McNerthney said it plays a role in protecting both voters and the election process. That work can involve criminal cases or civil litigation, depending on the circumstances.

“If there’s interference on the criminal side, we can have a case referred to us, and that can go to court,” McNerthney said.

The civil division, meanwhile, handles attempts to interfere with elections in non-criminal ways. McNerthney pointed to a legal challenge involving proposed federal mail-ballot requirements as an example of that work.

Criminal and civil teams stand ready to address election disruptions

During the interview, he shared comments from King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion, who sought to reassure residents that her office is watching for problems and is ready to take appropriate legal action.

“We are closely monitoring our elections process, and we are looking for and monitoring for any attacks, and we are prepared to respond with litigation where necessary and appropriate,” Manion said.

She said that includes monitoring for criminal conduct, such as assaults or voter intimidation tactics, along with efforts to disrupt election operations.

“It also means monitoring to ensure that no one is meddling with the election process itself,” Manion said.

When asked how often intervention is necessary, McNerthney said it happens “every so often, and unfortunately more than we’d like.”

“We do want things to run smoothly, but that’s why the office is there to make sure that happens,” he said.

Untested federal portal drew concerns from election officials

McNerthney said King County, through its Department of Elections, supported a lawsuit in September opposing new federal requirements for mail-in ballots.

According to his account, those requirements would have forced election officials to redesign and resubmit ballots or their envelopes to the Postal Service for approval. There was no guarantee that approval would arrive in time for the November election, he said.

Another requirement would have involved entering voter information into a new federal portal. McNerthney emphasized that the system was untested, raising concerns about whether it would function in time.

“The untested part’s the key,” he said.

The proposal also would have required voters to wait at local post offices while postal employees scanned and verified their mail-in ballots, according to McNerthney.

He questioned how simple that process would be in practice and highlighted the importance of mail voting for people with disabilities and others who need help casting ballots.

McNerthney said the proposed changes did not go forward, citing what he described as a Sept. 14 Supreme Court action denying the federal government’s plan.

He presented the dispute as an example of how the prosecutor’s civil division can become involved when election procedures are threatened.

The distinction, he explained, is that protecting elections does not always mean pursuing criminal charges. Sometimes, it means going to court over administrative requirements that officials believe could interfere with voters’ ability to participate in an election.

Manda Factor is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. Follow Manda on X and email her here. 

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