Seattle Council Candidate Faces Theft, False Report Charges

SEATTLE, WA - Former Seattle City Council candidate Shelley Secrest is facing two criminal charges for allegedly trying to steal from the city's democracy voucher program. City Attorney Pete Holmes charge Secrest on Wednesday with theft and false reporting, according to court records.

According to a police report, Secrest allegedly tried to use her own money to qualify for the democracy voucher program. To qualify, candidates must get signatures and a donation of between $10 and $250 from at least 400 Seattle voters. A campaign worker told police he witnessed Secrest take cash out of an envelope to make it look like petition signers had made a $10 donation each.

The charges against Secrest were first reported Thursday by the C Is For Crank.

Secrest did not gather the required 400 signatures, and did not advance past the August primary. The voucher program can provide candidates with up to $150,000 to pay for campaign expenses, including expenses incurred in the past.

Read the full Seattle police report on the incident here:

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