Ruling removes Dayton library vote from ballot
By Terry Murry on Friday, September 22nd, 2023 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
DAYTON – Columbia County Superior Court Commissioner Julie Karl ruled Wednesday effectively ending a move to dissolve the rural library district.
“This court hereby grants the plaintiff’s motion for a preliminary injunction and hereby enjoins the county from including or placing Proposition 2 on the November 7, 2023, ballot,” Karl said before a packed courtroom.
Karl said she agreed with the complaint filed by Neighbors United for Progress, a committee led by residents of the Dayton area, which alleged the measure to dissolve the Columbia County Rural Library District conflicts with federal and state constitutions and disenfranchises city voters. The measure to dissolve the library came as a local group raised objections to the display of what they saw as age-inappropriate sexual material in the children’s section of the Dayton library.
In her ruling, Karl also said she believed the petition process was invalid and there was reason to believe signature gathering for the petition was fraudulent. Karl commended county election officials for following the procedures outlined by state law and asking the Washington Attorney General’s office for input.
Ballots will be printed this week without the measure to dissolve the library. Before ruling to block the initiative from the ballot, Karl dismissed Jennifer Ruffcorn, who sponsored the petition to dissolve the library, from the case. Ruffcorn’s attorney, Pete Serrano of the Pasco-based Silent Majority Foundation, requested Ruffcorn be dismissed stating she was exercising her constitutional right to petition the government.
