A lawsuit was filed on Friday afternoon against Oregon Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade by Attorney Stephen Joncus, representing John West, Winnie, Edgar Pelfrey, and Victoria Marshall. The lawsuit alleges that Rep. Christine Goodwin does not reside in House District 4 or Oregon Senate District 2, where she is running against Dr. Noah Robinson to replace outgoing Senator Art Robinson.
The motion filed as part of the 69-page complaint and temporary restraining order requests the court to compel Secretary of State Griffin-Valade to disqualify Christine Goodwin as Representative for House District 4 and to prevent her name from appearing on the ballot for the May 21, 2024, primary election for the Republican primary election for State Senate District 2. Additionally, the motion calls for an order requiring Griffin-Valade to show cause why the requested order should not remain in effect during the ongoing legal proceedings.
The lawsuit presents several points and authorities to support its case. Firstly, it contends that Christine Goodwin’s primary residence, as evidenced by various documents including the Articles of Incorporation for Goodwin Properties Inc and the Statement of Organization for Candidate Committee, is at 317 Aker Drive, which falls within Senate District 1 and House District 2, not Senate District 2 or House District 4.
Secondly, it alleges that Goodwin falsely claimed residence at Falk Estates Vineyards, citing a change of residential address in Douglas County voter records from 317 Aker Drive to 721 Bramblewood Lane, which is identified as the Falk Estate Vineyards wine tasting room. However, inquiries made by John West to Falk Estate Vineyards reportedly yielded no recognition of Christine Goodwin or indication of residential occupancy at 721 Bramblewood Lane.
Furthermore, the lawsuit argues that Goodwin is not qualified to represent House District 4 or Senate District 2 due to discrepancies in her residency status. While Goodwin was elected to House District 4 on November 8, 2022, the lawsuit asserts that she did not reside at the address within the district one year prior to the election, as required by law.
The lawsuit requests the court to issue an injunction to Secretary of State Griffin-Valade to refrain from printing Christine Goodwin’s name on the ballots for the May 21 primary election, citing potential irreparable damages to other candidates and the integrity of the electoral process.
In response to inquiries made at a Republican meeting in December, Rep. Goodwin reportedly dismissed concerns about her residency, stating, “Don’t worry about it.” The lawsuit seeks to address these concerns through legal proceedings, emphasizing the importance of upholding residency requirements for electoral candidates.
