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Wash. Auditor-Elect Kelley Keeps A Low Profile

Washington Legislature

OLYMPIA, Wash. –Washington’s newly elected governor, attorney general and secretary of state are busy hiring staff, announcing transition teams and setting up shop in the Capitol. But newly elected Washington state Auditor Troy Kelley hasn’t been seen much.

Kelley is a Democratic State Representative who was elected to replace outgoing auditor Brian Sonntag who’s held the office for 20 years. Sonntag says he met Kelley for coffee after the election.

Sonntag says he "offered up space, equipment, access to personnel whatever he might need. The response [from Kelley] so far was he wanted to wait until after the election was officially certified, which has now happened.”

Sonntag says he hasn’t spoken to Kelley since and Kelley hasn’t been to the office. But the new auditor did send an email to his future staff saying “I will be working on the transition, I do not want to distract the office, and hope to begin work in January seamlessly.”

By contrast Secretary of State-elect Kim Wyman has announced her executive team. Attorney General-elect Bob Ferguson named his transition committee and taped a video introduction to the staff with outgoing Attorney General Rob McKenna.”

Neither Kelley nor his campaign manager responded to calls for comment.

On the Web:

Washington State Auditor's Office

Since January 2004, Austin Jenkins has been the Olympia-based political reporter for the Northwest News Network. In that position, Austin covers Northwest politics and public policy, as well as the Washington State Legislature. You can also see Austin on television as host of TVW's (the C–SPAN of Washington State) Emmy-nominated public affairs program "Inside Olympia."