The effort to recall embattled Poway City Councilmember Tony Blain was ahead, according to early returns Tuesday.
Blain has only been in office since last December. Since his swearing in, he’s been accused of vote trading and threatening and harassing city staffers and other officials.
Plus, he's been charged by the San Diego County District Attorney's office with four felonies and a misdemeanor.
In August, the City Council voted to hold a special municipal election in November after enough signatures from District 2 residents were collected to place the recall on the ballot.
Only voters living in Poway's District 2 are eligible to vote in the Nov. 4 recall.
John Mullin, one of the organizers of the recall, said even the people who voted for Blain, supported the recall.
"They realize that he lied to them. They realize he can't do anything he said he could do. They realize what destruction he is causing, what damage he's causing to the city, how much he's still costing the city,” Mullin said.
Why it matters
Blain was elected to the Poway City Council last December. Problems started almost immediately. He was accused of vote trading and threatening and harassing city staffers and other officials, including City Attorney Alan Fenstermacher, who lashed out during a council meeting in January.
In February, Blain was censured by the Poway City Council, a first for the city. In April, the city took an unprecedented step of suing Blain to force him to comply with the California Public Records Act and to stop him from destroying records.
The city said the lawsuit was filed as a "last resort to prevent significant liability for the city."
In October, Blain was charged with felony perjury, asking for a bribe, soliciting a bribe and destruction of public papers, as well as a misdemeanor for stealing a campaign sign.
Blain was supposed to be arraigned on Monday, but a judge granted a continuance until January due to his deployment overseas as a U.S. Army Reserve doctor.
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A closer look
If a simple majority of residents vote “no,” the recall has failed and Blain will remain in office.
But if a simple majority of residents vote “yes,” he will be removed from office and the position will remain vacant until it’s filled. A City Council policy passed in April requires that a special election be held to fill a vacant seat with more than 18 months remaining in its term.
Poway’s District 2 is one of four council districts in the city, which has a population of just under 50,000 people.
Counting the ballots
According to the County Registrar of Voters, the first returns available around 8 p.m. on election night only include mail-in ballots and vote center ballots received before Election Day.
After that, results on election night will include only the vote center ballots cast on Nov. 4. The Registrar continues to count remaining ballots and post returns until the election is certified on Dec. 2.
Here's everything you need to know about election security in San Diego County.
