Lacey council member does not live there, voter registration challenge alleges
Where exactly does Thurston County Commission candidate Nic Dunning live?
That’s the thrust of a voter registration challenge, which was filed earlier this month and has now triggered an administrative hearing set for the afternoon of May 28.
“Auditor Mary Hall will review evidence provided, including testimony, before issuing a written decision,” the Auditor’s Office announced in a news release. “Auditor Hall will not release a decision on the day of the hearing.”
Current Lacey City Council member Dunning is running, along with fellow candidate and North Thurston Public Schools board director Michelle Gipson, for the District 5 seat on the commission held by incumbent Emily Clouse.
Clouse, too, is running again to defend her seat. The three candidates have triggered an August primary to see who advances to the November general election.
The voter registration challenge was filed by former Olympia City Council member Jim Cooper. The Olympian wasn’t able to reach Cooper on Thursday; Dunning provided a statement.
“Given that the complaint was submitted the day after I filed for office, it appears to be politically motivated,” he said. “Because there is a pending hearing, I can’t comment publicly on the matter right now, but I look forward to addressing and clearing everything up on the 28th.”
In his challenge, Cooper says that Dunning does not “reside at the address listed on their voter registration.” That address is identified as 5823 Lacey Blvd SE, which is the location of West Coast Fitness, a business that Dunning owns.
Cooper also has supplied, citing Thurston County Assessor’s property information, that Dunning lives in the 9000 block of 22nd Way Southeast, which is just east of Lacey city limits but is in the city’s urban growth area.
“The statute is pretty clear that you need to register where you reside,” Auditor Hall told The Olympian Thursday.
If he doesn’t live at the Lacey Boulevard address, Hall said he would need to change his address, but it wouldn’t make him ineligible to run for the county commission because it appears both addresses fall within District 5 of the county.
District 5 lies between east Thurston County and downtown Olympia.
If he lives in the urban growth area, also known as unincorporated Thurston County, is he eligible to serve on the Lacey City Council if he doesn’t live in the city?
Although Dunning declined to comment, Lacey Mayor Andy Ryder shed light on Dunning’s living arrangement on Friday.
Dunning is living at West Coast Fitness, Ryder said. He previously rented an apartment in the city, but when the lease came up for renewal, he decided to move into the business while he looked for a home.
Dunning later bought the home in the McAllister Park area of the county – assessor information shows he purchased the property in November 2025 – but the property is in need of some work before he moves in, Ryder said.
The Auditor’s Office confirmed Friday that the address on 22nd Way Southeast, which is part of the McAllister precinct, is in the urban growth area.
Ryder believes that all of this will be explained at next week’s hearing. If Dunning is elected to the commission, his new address is not a problem, Ryder said, but if he loses and wants to be on the Lacey City Council, he will have to make a decision about his residency.
“He knows the rules,” said Ryder.
“It is not unique,” said Hall about voter registration challenges. “They happen every couple of years for one reason or another.”
She added, though, that the burden of proof is on Cooper, the challenger.
The Thurston County Auditor’s Office will hold the administrative hearing to consider a voter registration challenge at 2 p.m. Thursday, May 28.
Editor’s note: This article has been updated with comments from Lacey Mayor Andy Ryder.
This story was originally published May 22, 2026 at 12:15 PM.
