Some political activists claim The Election Center's audit of King County Elections is tainted by the nonprofit organization's ties to county Elections Director Dean Logan.

Logan is a member of The Election Center (TEC), a professional association of election officials based in Houston. Logan led a workshop on elections and recounts at the group's national conference in Beverly Hills, Calif., last month.

Diebold Election Systems, which sells ballots, counting machines, a tabulation computer and voter-registration system to King County, hosted a welcome reception at the conference.

Gentry Lange, a Green Party candidate running for county executive, believes Diebold's presence at TEC gatherings also compromises the audit.

Justin Moore, a member of the National Committee for Voting Integrity, a Washington, D.C.-based group, said that when he learned Logan was speaking to a TEC audience at the same time the organization was auditing Logan's office, "The phrase 'the fox guarding the henhouse' flew through my head."

Logan said he disclosed his relationship with the TEC to the county auditor and County Council before the audit contract was signed.

R. Doug Lewis, executive director of TEC, described Logan's talk — scheduled before the audit contract was signed — as a professional talking to his peers, saying, "Learn from my experience."

Voting-equipment vendors who exhibit at TEC conferences and sponsor social events contribute only 1 to 2 percent of the organization's revenue, Lewis said. "It isn't enough to sway us or change our opinion."

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