A possible violation of the city’s election policies could result in the nullification of Peninsula Community Planning Board’s March 20 election that resulted in four candidates receiving a majority of votes to fill five available seats.
Though exiting board chair Geoff Page said Monday the elections results are invalid and that today’s run-off election for the fifth seat is cancelled, PCPB election committee chair Cal Jones said today’s balloting will proceed as scheduled until the City Attorney’s Office weighs in on the legality of Page’s final official decision. Page’s term ended April 1, he said.
Pending the review, the run-off election is set for today from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Hervey\/Point Loma Branch Library, 3701 Voltaire St.
Deputy City Attorney Alex Sachs said neither Page nor the board consulted the City Attorney’s Office before Page’s announcement to call off the election. The City Attorney’s Office is looking into the issue, Sachs said.
“Any allegation of impropriety that would cause the election to be called into question would have to be very serious in order for, legally, a decision to stand that would disenfranchise 600 voters,” he said.
Page said the March 20 election is invalid because of an apparent violation of city regulations prohibiting sitting board members from endorsing a slate of candidates.
“It looks like somebody on the inside was trying to work that election,” Page said.
He added that he wants another election.
At issue is an e-mail allegedly sent from PCPB member Dee Wylie to potential Peninsula voters, wherein the writer thanks voters “for your terrific support of our 5 candidates,” according to a copy of the alleged e-mail.
The four top vote getters allegedly endorsed in the e-mail are members of the same church as Wylie, according to Peninsula resident Jim Gilhooly, a resident who supports the invalidation of the election.
In an e-mail exchange, Deputy City Attorney Alex Sachs writes that city regulations prohibit members of community planning groups from endorsing a slate of candidates.
“It would be contrary to the spirit of a fair election, also, for a planning group member acting in their role as a member of an organization outside the planning group to express a position about a candidate for the member’s own planning group,” according to the city’s administrative guidelines approved by the City Council in April 2006, Sachs wrote.
Wylie said the e-mail stating her alleged endorsement of the successful candidates was altered ” but not by her.
“This is part of the usual accusations that are unfounded,” she said.
Wylie added that said the accusations come from the side of those who lost the election. She declined to comment further.
Until the City Attorney Office weighs in on the issue, Jones said the election continues as scheduled.
“As far as I know, [the election] is still on,” Jones said, “I’m going to let them work it out. I’m just trying to put the election on, or oversee it.”
The Peninsula Community Planning Board acts as an advisory board to the city regarding development and land-use issues. For more information visit www.pcpb.net.
Pending any possible nullification of the March 20 election, candidates-elect J. Scott Brown received 327 votes; Donna Kaup, 322; Charles Mellor, 324; and Jim Lester, 325, according to the semi-official results.
Remaining candidates whose names will appear on the official ballot for the run-off election tonight include incumbents Mignon Scherer and Patti Barbee-Rank, and challengers Lance Murphy, Harris Steiner and Shelly Kilbourn-McGee.
Page, an incumbent who was on the March 20 ballot, said he will withdraw from tonight’s election so long as there is only seat available.
According to Jones, however, Page’s name will appear on the ballot whether Page withdraws or not.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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