Ferndale Council candidate loses appeal to ruling against voter status

FERNDALE, Wash. — Judge Evan Jones ruled on October 14, 2025, that the Whatcom County Canvassing Board decision to cancel Ferndale City Council candidate Steve Potvin’s voter registration was valid and supported by law.

Potvin’s voter registration was challenged by Norman Glenn Stewart. Potvin is currently a candidate for a seat on the Ferndale City Council.

Stewart claims Potvin changed his voter registration address from an Aldergrove Road address to his downtown Ferndale business address. The change appeared to have occurred after he voted in the 2024 General Election.

Canvassing Board members met on August 25, 2025, to hear arguments from the challenger, Norman Glenn Stewart and the challengee, Steven Dale Potvin. On August 27, 2025, they published their decision that Potvin does not reside at the business address and, unless he changed the address on his voter registration, his voter registration would be canceled.

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Potvin appealed the Canvassing Board decision, requesting the judicial review in Whatcom County Superior Court. The conclusion by the court was published as follows.

Before the Board and this Court, Mr. Potvin spoke passionately about his presence at 3rd Ave., the somewhat unique circumstances of his “martial arts lifestyle,” and his honest desire to live, work, and engage civically in the City of Ferndale. There is no reason to question his integrity on these topics or otherwise. However, the law in this case is not determined by the intentions of those involved. Instead, the result was reached by carefully finding facts and applying the applicable statutes. As such, the Court affirms the Canvassing Board Decision.
– Whatcom County Superior Court’s Ruling (October 14, 2025)

Potvin’s first attempt at filing his petition for judicial review was rejected since it introduced documents and affidavits not considered by the Canvassing Board since they were produced after the board made their decision. The judicial review was limited to the decision and what testimony and evidence was considered to come to it.

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A Petition for Judicial Review was filed on August 29, 2025, seeking Superior Court review of agency action taken by the Whatcom County Canvassing Board cancelling the Petitioner’s voter registration at 5689 3rd Ave. Suite B, Ferndale, WA. The Petition was thereafter briefed by the Parties, the Agency Record was submitted, and oral argument was held. Although occasionally characterized as such, the decision in this appeal is not whether Washington law permits a voter to register a “nontraditional” address, or whether Mr. Potvin’s business address might qualify as such; those answers are clearly ‘yes,’ rather, the question directly is whether 5689 3rd Ave. Ferndale, WA is in fact Mr. Potvin’s ‘residence’ as that term is defined in RCW 29A.04.151. The Whatcom County Canvassing Board addressed this question following a hearing on August 25, 2025, and determined that it was not. This decision and the procedure which produced it, are under review.
– Whatcom County Superior Court’s Ruling (October 14, 2025)

The Whatcom County Prosecutor’s Office represented the Canvassing Board during the judicial review.

Neither the Canvassing Board nor the judicial review took up the question of Potvin’s eligibility to run for Ferndale City Council. As of the writing of this story, Potvin remains on the Washington Secretary of State’s office list of current candidates for the 2025 General Election.