Kimsey’s latest statement follows a letter provided by County Councilor Karen Dill Bowerman disputing Kimsey’s comment in an Oct. 30 interview with Clark County Today
Ken Vance, editor
Clark County Today
Clark County Auditor Greg Kimsey contacted Clark County Today Saturday (Nov. 9) to say that he “misspoke’’ in a phone interview with Editor Ken Vance conducted on Oct. 30.
Kimsey’s comments in that phone interview were used for a story published by Clark County Today the following day (Oct. 31). In that interview, Kimsey was asked to recall discussions that previously took place with members of the Clark County Council about the topic of a video surveillance program for the county’s 22 ballot drop boxes. The discussions being questioned were in response to Kimsey’s request for more than $4 million in funds to update the Clark County Elections Department. The council later awarded Kimsey $5.2 million in funds to renovate the election offices.
“My view has not changed,’’ Kimsey said on Oct. 30. “We have always understood that cameras on ballot drop boxes might serve as a deterrence and can sometimes provide information to law enforcement. That’s why this last summer when I was asking for funding from the County Council, I said to them if the Clark County Council would provide the funding, we would be happy to install those, and also the ongoing funding required to manage the video and respond to public records requests and ongoing maintenance. I said that to the Council.’’
On Saturday (Nov. 9), Kimsey called Editor Vance and said that he had misspoke during the Oct. 30 phone interview. He also provided a written statement to that effect in an email when requested to do so.
“Ken, I misspoke when I told you, ‘I said to them if the Clark County Council would provide the funding, we would be happy to install those, and also the ongoing funding required to manage the video and respond to public records requests and ongoing maintenance.,’’’ Kimsey stated. “It is accurate that on July 24, 2023 I provided each of the councilors the attached document. On page 4 of that document, I wrote: ‘However, if the Council would like to provide funding for audio/video surveillance of each ballot drop box the Elections Office is willing to assist it in that process.’ That document was prepared in response to concerns expressed by citizens at the June 27, 2023 council hearing.’’
That document can be viewed here.
After Clark County Today published a story with Kimsey’s original comments, County Councilor Karen Dill Bowerman provided a letter to the editor disputing Kimsey’s claim.
Kimsey offered more information to Clark County Today Saturday, which seemingly indicated he was once again pointing the finger of blame on the County Council for not implementing a camera surveillance program on the county’s 22 ballot drop boxes.
“In addition, at the June 27 Council Hearing, during the time for comments from the public a citizen asked the council to provide funding for ‘100% video camera surveillance coverage with audio at all ballot handling duty stations and county ballot drop boxes’ and another citizen asked the council to provide funding for ‘state of the art video cameras.’ You can find these comments at 8:33 and 15:00 online at https://www.cvtv.org/vid_link/35821?startStreamAt=0&stopStreamAt=12779.’’
Kimsey also added, “I recall being surprised that at the 9/26/23 hearing no member of the council had any questions regarding the concerns citizens had expressed at the June 27, 2023 council hearing or my written responses to those concerns,’’ Kimsey stated on Saturday.
On Oct. 28, 488 ballots were damaged in an incident at the county’s ballot drop box in East Vancouver at the C-TRAN transit center in Fisher’s Landing.
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Battle Ground Mayor Eric Overholser signed proclamations on ICE and Antifa, drawing national media attention to the city of 23,000.
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