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EVERETT—A Lynnwood Times investigation uncovered that Everett City Council candidate Niko Battle may be ineligible to run for office under Everett Charter codes.

According to Washington voter registration data, Battle registered to vote in Snohomish County on May 7, 2025 – just five days before filing to run for the City Council position.

The Everett Municipal code Charter, section 2.2, states: “No person shall be eligible to hold elective office unless he or she shall have been a registered voter and resident of the City for a period of at least one year next preceding his or her election, and, for Council positions elected from Council districts, a resident of an applicable Council district, for a period of at least six months prior to the primary election date preceding his or her election.”

However, Battle interprets this language to mean that one must be a registered voter at the time of filing (which he was) as well as a resident of the city they’re running for, for at least a year, and a resident of the district for at least six months, he informed the Lynnwood Times.

The Lynnwood Times reached out to the Snohomish County Auditor’s Office and City of Everett for clarity.

“Our legal team is still in the process of reviewing how Section 2.2 of the City charter should be interpreted. While we can’t comment further right now, we are committed to providing more information when we can,” said Simone Tarver, Communication Manager and Public Information Officer for the City of Everett.

This charter is stricter than the state statutory requirements (RCW 35A.12.030) which only require a candidate to be a registered voter of the city they’re running for at the time of filing, in addition to the one-year residency requirement.

The claim was originally reported by My Everett News on July 16, after a memo began circulating by Everett City Council candidate Alan Rubio, who is running against Battle for the District 4 seat.

“I’m surprised that he’s still acting like a candidate, going to events and acting like nothing has happened,” Rubio told the Lynnwood Times. “People normally drop out when they learn they don’t meet the requirements.”

Battle’s campaign has raised nearly $13,000 as of Tuesday, July 29. Rubio’s campaign has raised approximately $15,000.  

“One of the candidates in the race against me has made very clear their intention to challenge me, not on the level of policy disagreements we may have on what’s best for the people of Everett, but rather on the merit of my eligibility,” Battle told the Lynnwood Times. “I think these attacks are shameful, unfounded, and I look forward to representing the people of District 4, the very same people who share so much hope and appreciation for the platform we’ve developed with careful consideration and consultation of community stakeholders across the district.”

Battle continued that when he first met Rubio, at an Everett City Council meeting, the two looked each other in the eyes, shook hands, and agreed to a clean and respectful race. Since then, he said, Battle believes Rubio has broken that promise.

“If someone is willing to break a promise when they look you in the eye and shake your hand, what is it to say he’s not going to break the promises he’s making to the voters of the people of Southwest Everett,” said Battle.

Also, in the wake of Rubio’s claims, Everett City Attorney, David Hall, sent a letter to Battle on July 23 asking him to declare, under the penalty of perjury, that he has been a resident of the City of Everett for at least one year as well as a resident of District 4 for at least six months. The letter of declaration did not, however, ask Battle to declare that he has been a registered voter of the City of Everett for at least one year, as required by the Everett Charter. Battle has not yet filled in and returned this declaration but informed the Lynnwood Times he has every intention to do so.

Rubio, and Luis Burbano – the third candidate for the Everett City Council District 4 position – also received the declaration form from the City Attorney. Rubio informed the Lynnwood Times he filled out and returned his form immediately because he had nothing to hide.

“The law is the law and the rules are the rules. They shouldn’t be too hard to enforce them when we know they’re not being followed. The community deserves someone who’s following the rules, understands the process, and not just someone planted without having actual roots in the community,” said Rubio. “Don’t waste your vote on someone who’s not completely honest with you.”

The Lynnwood Times investigated challenges of Battle’s eligibility, finding that, not only did Battle just recently become a registered voter in South Everett as of May 2025, but that he lived, and voted in Fulton County Georgia in March 2024…as a Republican, despite working closely with the 21^st Legislative District Democrats, former Vice Chair of the Washington High School Democrats, and the youngest staff member on the 2014 Democratic Party of Georgia’s coordinated campaign.

“I casted my vote for what I believed to be a stop to the largest threat to our democratic proceedings, rather than rubber stamping the Democratic candidate,” said Battle confirming with the LT that he identifies as a Democrat.

Battle is endorsed by several Democratic leaders including Washington State Representatives Brandy Donaghy (44 LD) and Strom Peterson (21 LD), as well as Democratic Senators June Robinson (38 LD) and Marko Liias (21 LD). Battle is also endorsed by Snohomish County Council member Megan Dunn, Bothell City Council member Jenne Alderks, Edmonds City Council member Susan Paine, Everett City Council member Paula Rhyne, and Everett City Council member Liz Vogeli who’s seat he seeks to fill.

“I’ve spent time living in a number of states and even abroad since going to college in North Carolina, but despite all of that most of that time my residency has remained here,” said Battle. “But those gaps in residency and gaps in registration do not affect my eligibility for this position.

Battle initially registered to vote in the State of Washington in 2018 and was a registered voter in Everett in 2020 when he ran for Democratic PCO – which is a requirement to run for the position. He told the Lynnwood Times that he relocated to Washington, from Georgia, in September of 2024 and that his travels should be viewed as “qualifications” rather than “disqualifications,” considering the different people, cultures, and experiences he gained from them.

The Georgia Secretary of State’s Office has confirmed with the Lynnwood Times that as of July 29, 2025, Battle is still a registered voter in the State of Georgia.

“Mr. Battle last voted in Georgia in 2024 and remains active, but nothing in this case indicates impropriety,” an email sent to from the Georgia’s Secretary of State’s Office to the Lynnwood Times on Battle’s voter registration status.

In the Washington Secretary of State’s database, Battle lists his address as an apartment building in District 4, South Everett, but does not include a unit number. His mailing address, on the other hand, is listed as an address in Granite Falls.  

Battle explained that he uses the Granite Falls address (which is his father’s home) for sensitive mail because he has roommates in Everett. According to the Snohomish County Assessor’s database, the Granite Falls residence was purchased in 2014 by two residents of Lake Stevens. The home is not under Battle’s father’s name.

When the Lynnwood Times sat down with Battle back in June, to go over his platform and priorities, Battle had mentioned that he double majored in Politics and Communications at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. We took that to mean he graduated from Wake Forest with a degree but later learned that he dropped out of college before completing his program.

In Battle’s Voter Pamphlet statement, and social media pages, he writes that he simply “studied at Wake Forest University,” not that he received a degree from the school.

“I think the voters in our district are more than qualified to decide who, among us, are better qualified to represent, and relate to, the people of South Everett and I look forward to their decision on August 5, and see through the noise,” said Battle. “These are all attempts to muddy the waters.”

Battle’s opponent, Alan Rubio, believes that Battle was recruited by Everett City Council member Paula Rhyne to run against him. This suspicion is largely based on an email sent by Rhyne on April 4, where she asked the Snohomish County Democrats to “tap someone to run for the Everett City Council District 4 seat” to defeat Rubio who, at the time, was the only candidate that had filed.

Both Battle and Rhyne have denied these claims.

“I’m well aware of the rules and ethical standards for using county resources for campaign or personal purposes and remain committed to being a good steward of taxpayer dollars,” Rhyne told the Lynnwood Times. “The email I sent was from my personal email, on my personal device, during a personal break.”

“My decision to run for Everett City Council District 4 was made independently, after thoughtful conversations with residents, faith leaders, and local stakeholders who, like me, know the challenges our community face,” said Battle. “I entered this race because South Everett deserves serious leadership — someone who knows how to build coalitions and deliver results, not performative politics and certainly not a Marvel villain.”

The ”Marvel villain” statement was in reference to Rubio launching his campaign by wearing an Infinity Gauntlet, which the infamous Marvel character Thanos wears in the popular comic book and cinematic universe.

As of now, Battle has no intention of resigning from the race.

Editor’s Note: Article updated 7/29/2025 at 12:24 p.m. with Everett City Attorney quote regarding Everett Charter section 2.2 and added that Battle is still a registered voter in the State of Georgia.

Author: Kienan Briscoe