Washington: Petitions approved against Yakima County Coroner

The recall effort against Yakima County Coroner Jim Curtice (R) has been approved by a judge. 

Curtice is facing the recall effort (and calls for his resignation by the Yakima County Republican Party) after he admitted that he "was using drugs found on dead bodies and accusing his chief deputy of trying to poison him to cover it up." So far, no charges have been filed.

The first recall attempt against Curtice was rejected as factually and legally deficient, as it relied on news reports. Washington is a malfeasance standard state, so a showing of a statutorily delineated violation is needed. Here's a look at how the recall process works.