U.S. Election Observer Charged With Felony After Refusing to Wear Mask During 2024 Presidential Count

A Washington election observer has been charged with a felony after refusing to wear a mask during the November presidential vote count.

Timothy Hazelo, a Republican from Oak Harbor, was charged last week with unauthorized access to a voting center over a dispute that started when he refused to don a mask while monitoring ballot-counters.

Police were called on the 57-year-old when he refused to follow the mask-mandate that Island County Auditor Shelia Crider had imposed on local ballot-counting rooms — a measure that Hazelo says the elected official had no legal right to establish. . .

“It was determined Hazelo would be offered one final opportunity to comply with the policy set by the Island County Auditor to wear a mask in the ballot processing rooms, and if he continued to refuse to comply with the policy, he would be asked to exit the room,” an arrest report read.

Body-cam footage from the incident obtained by KOMO showed Hazelo being non-combative but telling an election worker, “I know who you are” as he left — which the worker told police made them feel they were being threatened. (Read more from “U.S. Election Observer Charged With Felony After Refusing to Wear Mask During 2024 Presidential Count” HERE)