LYNNWOOD—Washington Secretary of State’s Office has confirmed Lynnwood Times’ reporting that Lynnwood City Council Vice President Joshua Binda is not an “active” registered voter in the City of Lynnwood. Binda is now alleged to be “unlawfully” holding public office.
The Washington Secretary of State’s Voter Registration Database (VRDB) has officially been updated to confirm the Lynnwood Times’ reporting that Lynnwood City Council Vice President Joshua Binda is not registered at the Lynnwood address he claims as his residence to Lynnwood Mayor Christine Frizzell and Lynnwood City Council President Nick Coelho.
Furthermore, the state’s Voter Registration Database shows Binda’s voter registration status as INACTIVE confirming that he is not an “active” registered voter in the City of Lynnwood. The Lynnwood Times confirmed Binda’s voter registration status with the Snohomish County Auditor’s Office multiple times in January of 2025. Because of the lag in updating Binda’s voter registration status with the Secretary of State’s Office, the state’s official Voter Registration Database was showing outdated information—but the Lynnwood Times had the most up-to-date and correct information.
As of February 3, 2025, the state’s official Voter Registration Database has been updated to now show that Josh Binda’s voter registration status is officially INACTIVE. The City of Lynnwood and any resident within Washington state can confirm this with a request to the Secretary of State’s Office.
During an 8 a.m. phone call on Monday, January 27, with Lynnwood Mayor Frizzell along with Council President Nick Coelho, Binda provided his “voter registration address” (the address the Secretary of State’s Office now confirms is INACTIVE for his voter registration) as his place of residency, which is in direct conflict to the address he provided Snohomish County Superior Court just hours later certifying under perjury to be his place of residence.
According to the Protection Order the judge denied Binda on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, Binda provided his “evicted address” as his place of residency on the court document signed by him on Monday, January 27, 2025, and submitted the following day to the court. According to court documents associated with that case, Binda is also trespassed from that evicted property, adding to the evidence he allegedly submitted falsified information to the court.
According to Washington state law, below are the reasons an office may become vacant (all of which are listed in RCW 42.12.010 unless otherwise noted):
- The death of the incumbent;
- The incumbent’s resignation;
- Their removal;
- Their ceasing to be a legally registered voter of the jurisdiction in which they have been elected or appointed;
- Their conviction of a felony or any offense involving a violation of their official oath;
- Their refusal or neglect to take the oath of office or give/renew their official bond within the time prescribed by law;
- The decision of a competent tribunal declaring their election or appointment void;
- The judgment against the incumbent for breach of the condition of their official bond; and
- For some jurisdictions, an excessive number of absences. This is not contained in RCW 42.12.010 but is addressed separately in some agency statutes and/or local policies.
A six-week long, in-depth Lynnwood Times investigation has uncovered that Lynnwood City Council Vice President Josh Binda was evicted from his Lynnwood apartment in 2023 and has been allegedly living at a south Everett address near Seattle Paine Field Airport with his father for at least the last 15 months he has served on the Lynnwood City Council.
An article from MRSC, maps out Loss of Residency and the possible courses of action that a Council or a member of the public can take if Council Vice President Binda does not voluntarily resign. Below is an excerpt detailing those actions:
“If an official no longer resides in their jurisdiction (and/or district or ward), they may resign voluntarily. If the official does not resign voluntarily, RCW 7.56.010 provides for an action of quo warranto (literally, “what warrant”) that can be filed in the county superior court against any person who “unlawfully” holds public office. This civil action can be filed by any person who has an interest in the office. Since ordinary citizens usually do not have standing to file, the county prosecuting attorney is directed to do so (see RCW 7.56.020) and a person can seek a writ of mandamus, asking the court to order the county prosecuting attorney to take action (Kilduff v. San Juan County (2019)). If the court finds that the official no longer resides in the jurisdiction, it can issue an order that the position is vacant.”
Lynnwood City Council Retreat and Residency Discussion
Newly appointed Lynnwood Councilwoman Derica Escamilla, who last month admitted to giving rides to Lynnwood Council Vice President Josh Binda to his alleged Everett residence, on Saturday, February 8, during a council retreat shared that the Lynnwood Municipal Code should be changed to allow a 1-year temporary lapse in residency for a councilmember to still hold office on the Lynnwood City Council.
Councilman Patrick Decker says it is an expectation that a councilmember lives continuously where they represent as that councilmember is passing laws that impact Lynnwood residents.
Escamilla would like an exception for “hardships” saying when a person gets evicted it is difficult for a person to rent another place.
>> CLICK TO WATCH VIDEO OF ESCAMILLA’S EXPLANATION HERE <<
Council Vice President Binda was evicted from is Heather Ridge Apartments in Lynnwood in November 2023 after six months of unpaid rent—April 2023 through September 2023. As of January 2025, the approximately $10,300.45 of unpaid rent and fees is still outstanding. He still owes another $8,000 in unpaid traffic tickets, PDC fines, and other legal judgements against him.
In April 2023, in what Councilman Binda called a “performative” action, the Council voted 5-2 requesting the City’s Finance Director, Michelle Myer, not to approve a travel reimbursement request of $1,190.80 for his impromptu trip to attend the National League of Cities Conference in Washington, D.C. Also in that year, Binda travelled to and attended the Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference in October 2023 (hosted in Washington DC) and visited Washington, D.C. again in May 2023.
If the Residency requirement in Lynnwood Municipal Code is changed by the Council to account for “hardship,” Binda would need to address to the Council why he should qualify for a “hardship” if he is expensing monies on travels to Washington, D.C. but yet unable to pay his rent leading to his November 2023 eviction. Also, according to his Financial Disclosure Statement submitted to the PDC, Binda earned $30,000 to $59,999 on his Josh Binda Speaks LLC business and another $20,000 as a Lynnwood City Councilman giving a combined 2023 salary between $50,000 to $79,999.
Also, according to the Financial Disclosure Statement submitted to the PDC and certified by Binda, he is reporting no debts over $2,400 which is in direct conflict to two legal judgements against him:
- A 2023 judgement for garnishment is by Credit Concepts of Washington representing Sno-King Auto Sales in the amount of $3,760.84 for a 2012 Ford Focus with a 29.90% APR which he financed in 2021. The garnishee was the City of Lynnwood. This judgement is still outstanding
- Heather Ridge Apartments was granted that judgement on November 8 to collect the unpaid amount of $10,300.45 plus $45 a day with a 12% interest rate.
Escamilla, along with Binda, newly elected Council President Nick Coelho, and another councilmember voted in December 2024, to approve a 52% increase in property taxes. The increase was passed to fund the city’s $420 million budget for the biennium.
The Lynnwood City Council is expected to discuss “LMC: Duties and Qualifications for Elected City Officials ” at its business meeting on Monday, February 10, 2025.
Washington State Voter Registration Database (VRDB)
The Secretary of State’s Office maintains one statewide list of voters that serves as the official list of registered voters for Washington. In January 2002, the Secretary of State asked the Legislature to authorize the creation of a statewide voter registration database. The Legislature and Governor approved the request. That same year Congress passed the Help America Vote Act, which required states to develop a centralized voter registration database. In compliance with the Help America Vote Act, the Washington State Voter Registration Database was launched in January 2006.
RELATED ARTICLES
- New Investigation: Lynnwood City Council Vice President alleged Everett address
- Judge denies Binda’s protection order against Lynnwood Times, a victory for freedom of the press
Author: Mario Lotmore
7 Responses
Something that stands out in thus article is Lynnwood Times appears obsessed with bringing down Binda. What’s glaringly obvious is his income does not match the cost of living necessary in Lynnwood anymore. I’m a Lynnwood resident and despite all the surveys I filled out and many others as well, I’m not seeing affordable housing popping up anywhere. I see very expensive apartments that I couldn’t afford. If I ever had to sell my house, I couldn’t afford to buy in my own city again.
Binda is a Black man living in a city where most ppl with power are white. I know for a fact a Lynnwood police officer has been very vocal in his dislike for Binda for years. I’m tired of the systemic racism and the constant oppression of the poor. Poor ppl don’t get adequate representation in govt bc of this kind of bs.
I would not be surprised if both the author of this piece and the owner of Lynnwood Times are Trump voters. It’s clear by the obsession here that they are not objective by any means.
Facts and laws are stubborn things. Binda crossed the line big time here and has to go. Same with anybody else committing this level of FRAUD.
Well, let’s dig into your life then. See where you have messed up. I’m sure you’ve had your own share of breaking laws. Plus, we have a convicted felon as POTUS. Hope you have the same feelings about him.
I totally agree.
Correction, I totally agree that they seem hell bent on going after this guy.
Just because somebody doesn’t like somebody doesn’t make them racist. Some people have personality conflicts. A friend of my nose Binda, And he always says how cocky and arrogant he is. So that could rub a lot of people wrong. When will just turn into a high-end shopping area. If people can’t afford to live here, there’s plenty areas surrounding they can move to that will be cheaper.
I worked with this clown, and his 3 or 4 month tenure was spent dodging work and hiding in empty conference rooms with the lights off to FaceTime his girlfriend. He would show up hung over still reeking of booze and sweaty balls all the time, partying like an idiot. He fell asleep standing up once. He claimed to have worked at Boeing but we all kind of assumed that was a lie when we watched him struggle to use a screwdriver.
I have no doubt in my mind he did everything he is accused of, with more skeletons still in the closet left to be discovered, not a single doubt. In my opinion he is a loser that should face federal charges at a minimum and see real prison time.
I straight up hate this fool. We literally got burritos to celebrate the day HR finally fired him. Ole JB. I still have his name plate, a memento for all the hard work he put in to not do any work at all. We have a little group we send updates to of his idiotic and corrupt antics… what a weasel. Easily the worst person I’ve had to work with directly I’ve probably met in my entire life.