Recount Confirms Ouster of Vice Mayor

A recount on Friday of the votes in a May 23 recall election, in which San Gabriel Vice Mayor Frank Blaszcak lost his City Council seat by a nine-vote margin, has confirmed the results, said Deputy City Clerk Cindy Bookter.

“It was on the nose,” said Bookter, the official in charge of the election-night tally. “They (Blaszcak’s supporters) may not be happy about it, but I believe they’re satisfied. I hope their faith has been restored in (the city clerk’s) office. I feel so happy about this.”

Supporters of Blaszcak, who was accused of abusing his powers as a city official, have called for an investigation by the Los Angeles County district attorney, the secretary of state and the attorney general, claiming there may have been ballot-tampering. The final count was 1,903 for recall and 1,894 against.

Gary Meredith, a spokesman for Friends of Frank Blaszcak, said that the recount had not changed his opinion that an investigation should be conducted.