Lawsuits filed in Washington state over 2020 election

Lawsuits challenging the outcome of the 2020 election have been filed in three counties in Washington state with more expected.

The plaintiffs are claiming that auditors used uncertified voting machines and that thousands of ballots were manipulated. They are also asking for a “full forensic audit” similar to one conducted earlier this year in Arizona’s Maricopa County. The Arizona Senate is set to release its findings at 1 p.m. PST today, although a draft report shows virtually no change to the 2020 results.

The suits filed in Snohomish, Whatcom and Clark counties are headed up by lead plaintiff Washington Election Integrity Coalition United. The group’s director, Tamborine Borrelli of Gig Harbor, traveled throughout the state over the summer in search of voters to join the lawsuits.

The group’s website indicates it goes by the acronym WEiCU and that it stands for “We See You.”

In Snohomish County, for example, 28 people signed on for a lawsuit against County Auditor Garth Fell. Although WEiCU is the lead plaintiff, all are serving as their own lawyers.

“We’re reviewing the complaint,” Snohomish County Chief Deputy Civil Prosecutor Jason Cummings said in a statement. “We are aware there are other counties named in similar lawsuits. We’re disappointed that the themes of the Arizona auditing factions are trying to make their way into Washington.”

He’s referring to the Arizona state Senate’s review of Maricopa County’s 2020 General Election results. The firm contracted to conduct the recount presented its findings Friday, reaffirming President Joe Biden won the election there but raised concern over several elections integrity issues.

Secretary of State Kym Wyman, the only Republican currently holding statewide office, said in a statement that this is “the new reality” for elections officials.

“It doesn’t matter how wide a margin in the results,” she said. “You call everything into question and it undermines the validity of everything in the process.”

In each suit, the county auditor is alleged to have “wrongful acts, errors and/or neglected of duty” by allowing or facilitating “electronic manipulation of the voting results.”

The suits claim 6,000 votes were flipped and 400,000 were added or removed in statewide races “before, during and/or after the election.”

Specific to the Snohomish County suit, plaintiffs say a public records request in August for copies of actual ballots was denied. They’re asking a judge to force the county to turn over the information.

While the suits do not specifically mention the presidential election, that has been the rallying point for those claiming fraud.

Election results in Snohomish and Whatcom counties closely mirrored the statewide results, which saw Joe Biden defeat Donald Trump by a margin of 58% to 38%. Results in Clark County were closer, with Biden defeating Trump 51% to 46%.