WESTMINSTER : Council Candidates Drop Ballot Recount

Ballot recounts were called off after only one day by both Margie L. Rice, who narrowly lost the race for a two-year City Council seat to Tony Lam, and Councilwoman Lyn Gillespie, who lost a four-year seat to challenger Charmayne S. Bohman.

After recounting several precincts and the absentee ballots, both decided not to proceed any further, said Donald F. Tanney, the county registrar of voters.

“At the end of one day of counting, there were no changes at all,” he said. “The results stand as they were certified to the city.”

Rice had lost to Lam by 132 votes, and Gillespie had lost to Bohman by 134 votes.

Recounts cost $358 per day, Tanney said, and a full recount would take about 10 days.

Rice, a Westminster School District board member, has also asked the Orange County district attorney to investigate allegations that Lam bought votes.

Rice said that after the Nov. 3 election, she received a letter and a number of anonymous calls from people claiming that they had been paid $10 each to register as Westminster residents and cast absentee votes for Lam.

Lam has denied the allegations, and the district attorney’s office has not decided whether it will investigate the charges.