Vote Centers Are Open In Santa Ana’s Recall Election. But Is The Election Valid?

Vote centers are open in the recall election of Santa Ana City Councilmember Jessie Lopez, but it’s unclear whether the election is legal.

That’s because the Orange County registrar of voters recently concluded the city was using the wrong district boundaries and the wrong population data to calculate how many signatures were needed to trigger the recall and who should get to vote.

As a result, nearly 1,200 voters who, according to O.C. Registrar Bob Page’s recent calculations, should be able to vote in the Nov. 14 election did not get ballots.

Using the correct district boundaries, Page also calculated that the initial recall petition actually fell short of the number required to hold an election by 230 signatures. Last week, Page rescinded his initial verification that recall petitioners had met the signature threshold.

But despite all this, the election continues. Whether the results will stand may ultimately be a judge’s decision if Lopez follows through on an announcement last week that she intends to challenge the election in court.

Here’s the story behind the recall snafu and what election experts say could happen now.

Why was Lopez targeted for recall in the first place?

Recall backers, primarily the Santa Ana Police Officers Association and several real estate groups, want Lopez off the council because of her support for policies they say have pushed up housing costs, and reduced support for police.