FERNDALE, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – A Whatcom County judge has confirmed that a candidate for the Ferndale City Council has an invalid voter registration.

My Bellingham Now previously reported that the Whatcom County Canvassing Board ruled in August that the address listed on Steven Potvin’s voter registration is not his true address.

Potvin is the only candidate running against incumbent council member Jon Mutchler for Position 7 on Ferndale’s city council.

The address Potvin listed is the karate studio he owns in Ferndale, while the Canvassing Board ruled that his true residential address lies outside of city limits.

Potvin claims that, since he stays overnight at his studio at least once a week, it constitutes the property as a residence for the purposes of voter registration.

But on Tuesday, Whatcom County Superior Court Judge Evan Jones affirmed the board’s ruling after Potvin appealed the decision.

Despite having his voter registration deemed invalid, Potvin’s name will remain on the ballot, as state law requires someone to file a court order to remove a candidate’s name.

The Ferndale resident who originally challenged Potvin’s voter registration tells My Bellingham Now that he will consider formally challenging if Potvin wins the election in November.