As Washington heads into another election season, Clallam County Auditor candidate and guest columnist Virginia Shogren argues that the state's election system is on a collision course with the proposed federal SAVE Act, which would require proof of citizenship and voter identification for federal elections. In the first installment of a new series, Shogren questions whether Washington is enforcing constitutional voter eligibility requirements and points to the ongoing legal battle between the U.S. Department of Justice and Washington State over voter registration records. She promises future columns examining local election administration and outlining what she believes constitutional elections should look like in Clallam County.
In the podcast: CC Watchdog is featured on 96.7 FM, plus highlights from the Sequim City Council meeting.
A Gordian knot is a metaphor for an extremely complicated problem that seems impossible to solve. The phrase comes from an ancient legend in which a king named Gordius tied an intricate knot that no one could untangle. A prophecy said whoever untied it would rule Asia. When Alexander the Great encountered the knot, he didn’t try to untie it—instead, he cut through it with his sword.
It is June 2026. Few have ventured to address the train wreck that fast approaches Washington State elections. Looming before us is a primary in August and a general election in November, both of which have a federal race on the ballot.
Most don’t realize that Washington State’s current election system is on a collision course with a major new federal law called the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act introduced in January 2026.
Simply put: the SAVE Act will require voter identification, proof of citizenship with absentee mail-in ballots limited to Military, Illness, Disability, or Travel for federal races.
It represents the greatest existential threat to the elite power structure of Washington State of our lifetimes. That’s exactly why you barely hear a word about it in Olympia or from the Seattle media.
We are currently faced with a Gordian knot of epic proportions: how do we clean up our corrupt political landscape and associated bloated bureaucracy when we have yet to clean up elections, get rid of electronic voting machines, demand voter ID, and stop mail-in ballot stuffing?
The answer starts with the SAVE Act.
The SAVE Act is entirely consistent with our Washington State Constitution. Article VI clearly lays out who can vote:
Must be 18 years or older
Must be a U.S. citizen
Must have lived in the state, county, and precinct at least 30 days before the election.
Yet none of the 38 county auditors (or the King County Director of Elections) are fully enforcing these basic requirements.
By state law, the county auditors are the ex officio supervisors of all elections. They are personally responsible for certifying the results. Yet they are not following the clear language of our constitution.
Our constitution says nothing about anonymous mail-in elections where we can’t verify citizenship, age, or a current address. Even worse, our state routinely condones the voter registration of ineligible persons (who are then granted the power of a mailed ballot).
As just one example: in 2024 alone, nearly half of all motor-voter registrations – almost 450,000 – were processed without documentary proof of citizenship.
Motor voter refers to voter registration that occurs through a driver’s license or state ID transaction, typically at the Department of Licensing (DOL).
Under the federal National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (often called the “Motor Voter Act”), states are required to offer voter registration opportunities when people apply for, renew, or update a driver’s license or identification card.
In Washington, when someone interacts with the DOL, their information can be used to register them to vote or update their voter registration unless they decline. Critics argue the system relies heavily on self-attestation of citizenship, while supporters say it makes voter registration more accessible and convenient.
The Department of Justice has sued Washington State in order to obtain review of our state’s registration files (having offered up a sanitized version only).
In response to the lawsuit, instead of complying with federal law, our legislature quickly enacted (and Governor Ferguson signed) an emergency bill to criminalize the release of the database.
Washington State has not only failed to cooperate with federal law, but also has now criminalized the acts of anyone who would ‘dare’ to do so. All the while, our state assures us that our elections are ‘safe and secure’.
Citing the DOJ lawsuit, I asked Clallam County Auditor Shoona Riggs to provide the Department of Justice with the registration data for Clallam County.
She refused.
Once the SAVE Act becomes law, we must be ready to demand constitutional elections in Clallam County.
In Part II, I’ll lay out just how captured our local elections have become.
And in Part III, I’ll lay out exactly what a free and equal constitutional election in Clallam County will look like.
— Virginia Shogren
Virginia Shogren is running for Clallam County Auditor to restore trust in our elections and to make sure our tax dollars are spent wisely. Virginia believes in simple, honest government that works for the people—not special interests. She seeks accountability, lower costs, and real oversight of our elections and our money.
See you Saturday in Clallam Bay!
