Winlock City Councilor Trig Pedersen is sworn into the position for the second time Monday evening in Winlock.
The Winlock City Council swore in Trig Pedersen for the second time at its regular meeting Monday evening, after a letter from the prosecutor’s office revealed he was not registered to vote in Winlock.
For a person to be eligible to hold office, they must both be a citizen and registered to vote in that jurisdiction. While Trig Pedersen was a citizen of Winlock, he was not registered to vote before he applied — and was subsequently appointed — to Winlock City Council position 1.
Trig Pedersen is now registered to vote in the city of Winlock, however, according to an email from Lewis County Elections Supervisor Heather Boyer to the city dated April 4.
“Just as a follow up,” the email reads in part. “When it comes time to appoint a candidate to a vacant position. Please provide us with a list of applicant names, dates of birth and/or residential addresses and our office will confirm the candidates are qualified registered voters of the jurisdiction. … Doing this avoids your board appointing someone that isn’t qualified to hold that elected office.”
After Monday’s city council meeting, Trig Pedersen said that he knew he was not a registered voter in the city of Winlock before he applied to be on the city council. He said that he was born and raised and worked in Cowlitz County and had been voting by absentee ballot. He said that while he knew he needed to be a resident and live in the city, he didn’t realize he had to be registered to vote.
The city council did not discuss its earlier misstep during the meeting, but “Appointment of Council Position #1 — Oath of Office” was on the meeting agenda. In the agenda packet was also a letter from councilor Anne Randt to Winlock Mayor Don Bradshaw, city attorney Erin Hillier and clerk-treasurer Tedi Curry asking the item be placed on the agenda.
The council again approved a motion to appoint Trig Pedersen to council position 1. Councilors Jodie Curtis and Connie Sneed approved, councilor Barbara Pedersen — who is married to Trig Pedersen — abstained and Randt voted against.
Barbara Pedersen declined to comment after the meeting. It is unclear if she knew Trig Pedersen was not registered to vote in Winlock, or previously ineligible to hold office.
“I learned a long time ago it’s better not to say anything,” said Barbara Pedersen after the meeting.
Trig Pedersen said he did not meet with Bradshaw before he interviewed before the Winlock City Council. Bradshaw previously said that he speaks with candidates before they interview before the city council to ensure they are eligible to hold office.
Winlock City Council Position 1 was previously vacant after former Winlock City Councilor Andrew Maloney resigned in early February. The city council held public interviews on March 25. Four people — Trig Pedersen, Paul McMilan, Jeramy Allman and Lonnie Dowell — interviewed in front of the council and public.
Trig Pedersen said he learned the morning after he was originally sworn in that a person must be a registered voter to hold office, and that he registered immediately.
In a letter dated March 27, Lewis County Prosecuting Attorney Jonathan Meyer informed Hillier that Trig Pedersen was not a registered voter.
