San Juan County has booted a candidate for county commission from the November ballot in a court-ordered special election, alleging he does not live in Utah.
In a letter provided to FOX 13 that was sent to Willie Grayeyes, San Juan County Clerk/Auditor John Nielson said the investigation was prompted by a complaint from another commission candidate, Wendy Black. She claimed he didn’t live in Utah, even though Grayeyes has insisted repeatedly he does and has voted in Utah elections.
“The Deputy went to Navajo Mountain to confirm the address on your declaration of candidacy (17 miles from the Navajo Mountain Chapter House). He spoke to eight individuals between Navajo Mountain and Paiute Mesa, seven of whom whom told him that you do not live there and one who said they didn’t know. Four individuals told him that you live in Tuba City, Arizona, including your sister, Rose Johnson,” Nielson wrote.
The clerk determined that Grayeyes would be ineligible to vote in San Juan County District 2, which he is running for after a federal judge ordered new elections. U.S. District Judge Robert Shelby ruled San Juan County illegally gerrymandered county commission and school board districts along racial lines. Native Americans make up a majority population in San Juan County.
San Juan County also referred an investigation into questions of voter fraud to Davis County Attorney Troy Rawlings, since Grayeyes claimed to have voted in Utah elections. Rawlings confirmed to FOX 13 on Friday he had received a complaint from the county.
“Ask my lawyer,” Grayeyes told FOX 13 when reached on Friday. He would not provide the name of his attorney and hung up the phone.
Grayeyes can appeal the decision to court.
Read the county clerk’s letter here:
