Island County wins two court rulings over election mask mandate

Island County has won two separate court rulings regarding a mask requirement implemented at the county Elections Office during the 2024 general election.

The state Court of Appeals rejected an appeal by former Island County Republican Party officials Timothy Hazelo and Tracy Abuhl. The court ruled that County Auditor Sheilah Crider possessed the authority to require masks for workers and observers in ballot processing rooms. The requirement was originally imposed after ten individuals reported testing positive for COVID-19 during a recount following the August primary. The court noted that while the rule protected vulnerable staff, it was implemented to ensure the proper functioning of the counting center rather than as a general public health regulation.

In a separate matter, a visiting San Juan County Superior Court judge reversed a previous decision that had disqualified Island County Prosecutor Greg Banks and his office from representing the county in a public records lawsuit. This lawsuit arose from criminal cases involving Hazelo and Abuhl, who had been removed by police after refusing to comply with the mask mandate while acting as election observers.