Public Disclosure Commission fines 2024 candidates with missing or late reports

Enforcement process continues for missing annual financial affairs statements for sitting officials 

The Washington State Public Disclosure Commission issued thousands of dollars in fines this month in cases of missing or late filed candidate registrations and personal financial affairs statements for 2024 candidates.  

In the most recent hearing, the Commission found that Christal Olivia Irwin, a write-in candidate for Superior Court judge in Ferry, Pend Oreille and Stevens counties, violated state law by failing to file her candidate registration and personal financial affairs statement for her current campaign.  

Irwin has one previous violation for failing to file her personal financial affairs statement while running for the Colville City Council in 2023. She was fined $250, and has neither filed the missing report nor paid the fine.  

On July 25, the Commission imposed a fine of $2,000 for the 2024 violations, with half suspended on the condition that she file all missing reports online and pay the fines within 30 days.  

The PDC also fined more than two dozen other candidates for late or missing campaign registrations and personal financial affairs statements for the 2024 election. Commission Chair Allen Hayward heard those cases at a July 11 hearing in which 25 candidates were found in violation. Prior to the hearing, another nine candidates admitted violating the law and submitted their reports along with $100 per report to resolve their cases prior to hearing.   

Candidate registrations and personal financial affairs statements are due within two weeks of a candidate beginning their campaign.  

Still pending are 97 cases against sitting public officials who have missing or late annual personal financial affairs statements. Elected and some appointed officials in Washington must file these reports annually, for the previous calendar year, in April. Those cases are expected to be heard in August. 

The Commission is committed to ensuring compliance with campaign finance disclosure laws to ensure voters have the information they need for the election.