Ballot allegations add tension to tight South L.A. council race
The contest to represent Los Angeles’ 9th Council District remained undecided on November 10, with Ugarte ahead 19,200 to 19,044 in the latest count. The district encompasses South L.A. communities, the Convention Center and USC. The next tally was due Friday, November 13, after the Veterans Day holiday; election officials could not estimate how many votes remained uncounted.
Mazariegos’ campaign said it had filed a complaint with the county Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. It alleged Ugarte campaign representatives collected ballots without completing the envelope line identifying who returned them, and in one instance filled out a ballot without the voter knowing the selections. The county office sent the complaint to prosecutors in the district attorney’s office, which said it was looking into the matter.
California law permits voters to authorize another person to deliver a completed mail ballot. The county office said the image of a Ugarte volunteer delivering ballots did not itself raise concerns, and state law says a ballot cannot be rejected solely because the authorized returner omitted their name or signature. A constitutional law professor said returning ballots for voters is permitted absent payment per ballot, but filling out a ballot for someone who has signed it would be illegal. He said ballots would still be counted absent evidence of fraud in the ballots themselves.
Ugarte called the allegations false and defamatory. The volunteer shown returning ballots, USC student Amir King, said online that he was being bullied for helping people vote. Mazariegos condemned the alleged conduct, citing the district’s history of disenfranchisement.
The seat is open because incumbent Curren Price is term-limited. Price has endorsed Ugarte; Mazariegos is backed by the Los Angeles chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America. The count and the district attorney’s review remain outstanding.
Ballot allegations deserve scrutiny in South L.A.’s razor-thin race
A 156-vote margin separates the candidates in Los Angeles’ 9th Council District, where allegations about ballot handling now warrant close attention. On November 10, Ugarte led 19,200 to 19,044, with another tally expected Friday, November 13.
Mazariegos’ campaign accused Ugarte campaign representatives of collecting ballots without properly identifying the person returning them. It also alleged that, in one case, campaigners filled out a ballot without the voter knowing how she would vote. The county sent the complaint to the district attorney, which said it was examining the matter. The allegations have not been established as fact.
The distinction in state law matters: voters may authorize someone to return a completed ballot, and a ballot cannot be rejected only because the returner failed to provide a name or signature. A constitutional law professor said, however, that filling out a ballot after a voter signs it would be illegal. The county said a photo of a volunteer delivering ballots did not by itself raise alarms.
Ugarte rejected the claims as false and defamatory. His campaign’s volunteer, USC student Amir King, said he was being bullied for helping others participate. But the dispute is not simply about whether ballot collection is allowed; it includes a specific allegation about who marked a ballot, which is the issue the district attorney may examine. In a race this close, voters deserve a careful review while lawful ballot assistance remains protected.
The seat is open because incumbent Curren Price is term-limited. Price endorsed Ugarte, while the Los Angeles chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America backs Mazariegos. The vote count and review are still pending.
Legal ballot collection should not be confused with voter fraud
A narrow election has produced serious allegations, but California law expressly permits voters to designate someone else to deliver a completed mail ballot. On November 10, Jose Ugarte led Estuardo Mazariegos 19,200 to 19,044 in Los Angeles’ 9th District, with the next tally set for Friday, November 13.
Mazariegos’ campaign alleged that Ugarte campaign representatives failed to identify themselves when returning ballots and, in one case, filled out a voter’s ballot without her knowing the choices. The county sent the complaint to the district attorney, which said it was looking into the matter. Those claims remain allegations, not findings.
The county said a photograph of a Ugarte volunteer carrying ballots to a drop box did not itself raise concern. State law says a ballot cannot be disqualified solely because the authorized person returning it omitted a name or signature. A constitutional law professor said there is no limit on how many ballots one person may return, provided they are not paid per ballot; he also said filling out a ballot after a voter signs it would be illegal. Any review should focus on evidence of that alleged conduct, not treat permitted ballot assistance as wrongdoing.
Ugarte called the accusations false and defamatory. Volunteer Amir King, a USC student, said he was being bullied for helping others vote. Mazariegos’ campaign invoked disenfranchisement in the district, but the allegations must be assessed against the rules that protect voters’ ability to seek help returning ballots.
The contest remains unresolved, and the district attorney’s review is underway. The seat is open because Curren Price is term-limited; Price endorsed Ugarte, while the Los Angeles chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America backs Mazariegos.
Reported by LAist, Los Angeles Times.
