Vernon had hoped that Tuesday’s contested, municipal election would mark a major milestone in its year-long effort to repair its image by reforming its government. However, the seventy person exercise in democracy has been riddled with allegations of fraud.
Before a canvassing board was able to count ballots, attorneys brought forward allegations that several of the ballots cast were done by non-residents or ineligible voters. One such allegation was supported by evidence gathered by a private investigator who used social media and newspapers to show that one ‘voter’ lived in a neighboring town.
In all, seven ballots – or 10 percent of the total voting pool – were contested. When the outcome is settled, it will be the first real election in recent history in the small industrial city. Even though it was a small election, it featured all manner of electioneering, including volunteer walks, lit drops, and a debate.
From the Los Angeles Times:
The first competitive election in the city of Vernon in years was thrown into chaos late Tuesday amid accusations of voter fraud before officials could even begin counting the ballots.
A city canvassing board was set to tally the 53 ballots cast in the election at 8 p.m., when an attorney representing the Chamber of Commerce came forward to say he wanted to present evidence that seven voters didn’t actually live in the city.
Read the full article here.