Lynnwood adopts ordinance to clarify residency requirements
EVERETT — The Lynnwood City Council adopted an ordinance Monday to clarify requirements to hold elected office after a series of local controversies regarding council member eligibility.
The ordinance explicitly states council members must live in Lynnwood for the entirety of their four-year term and maintain active voter registration. Each year, council members will have to provide an affidavit to the city clerk declaring their voter registration and residency status. Members are also prohibited from holding another paid elective office while serving on the council.
Council member Patrick Decker first proposed the idea of a residency ordinance in February after some community members called council Vice President Josh Binda’s residency into question. During his 2024 run for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, Binda listed an Everett address on several public documents. He was evicted from a Lynnwood apartment in 2023, and his voter registration was listed as inactive for a period of time. Binda denied the allegations that he did not live in Lynnwood.
In March, Lynnwood resident Dio Boucsieguez, who is now running for City Council, challenged Binda’s voter registration. In April, the Snohomish County Auditor dismissed the challenge, saying Boucsieguez did not have enough evidence to prove Binda didn’t live in Lynnwood.
https://www.heraldnet.com/news/lynnwood-adopts-ordinance-to-clarify-residency-requirements/