6 accused of casting multiple votes

Criminal charges have been filed against six more King County voters for allegedly casting more than one ballot under a variety of circumstances in last November's election, prosecutors said yesterday.

Two defendants, William A. Davis of Federal Way and Grace E. Martin of Enumclaw, were accused of casting absentee ballots in the names of their recently deceased spouses, Sonoko Davis and Lawrence Martin, respectively.

A mother and daughter were also charged with casting a ballot in the name of the mother's dead husband. The mother, Harline H.L. Ng, and her daughter, Winnie W.Y. Ng, both of Seattle, signed their names as witnesses to the "X" marked on the ballot of Jacob Ng, who had died in February 2004.

Jared R. Hoadley of Seattle was accused of casting a ballot in the name of Hans Pitzen, who had lived at the same Seattle address as Hoadley and who died last May.

Dustin S. Collings, identified as a homeless Seattle resident, was charged with casting two ballots, both using the alias of Dustin Ocoilain, a name that was listed twice on the voter-registration rolls.

The defendants are charged with repeat voting, a gross misdemeanor that carries possible jail time of up to one year and a fine of up to $5,000.

Election officials asked prosecutors to investigate the voters after news reporters and a blogger reported that they may have voted twice. The voters will be arraigned July 5 in King County District Court.

Two other voters previously received deferred sentences — and avoided jail time — after they pleaded guilty to charges of repeat voting.

The King County Sheriff's Office is investigating several other cases, prosecutors reported yesterday. The investigations resulted from the intense scrutiny surrounding the governor's election in which Democrat Christine Gregoire defeated Republican Dino Rossi by 129 votes after he narrowly won two earlier vote counts.

After the November election, prosecutors also successfully challenged the voter registrations of 648 felons whose right to vote had not been restored.

Keith Ervin: 206-464-2105 or kervin@seattletimes.com