OC Supervisor Wins Special Election, But...
Thursday, Jan 7, 2010 | Updated 3:03 PM PST
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The rules governing Illinois elections need to change.
Orange County Supervisor Chris Norby finished first in a special election in Orange County's 72nd Assembly District, but fell short of the majority needed to avoid a runoff.
With all 197 precincts counted, Norby, a Republican, led the five- candidate field with 37.2 percent of the vote. Democrat John MacMurray, a junior high school teacher, was second with 27.1 percent.
Linda Ackerman, California's Republican National Committeewoman and wife of former 72nd District Assemblyman Dick Ackerman, was third with 19.7 percent, according to figures released by the Orange County Registrar of Voters.
A runoff will be held Jan. 12 involving Norby, MacMurray and Jane Rands of the Green Party in the district consists of Brea, Fullerton and Placentia and portions of Anaheim, Yorba Linda, Orange and La Habra.
Turnout was 17.2 percent for the special election to fill the seat of Mike Duvall, who resigned Sept. 9 after video surfaced showing him bragging about his supposed sexual exploits in a conversation with a colleague.
In a campaign dominated by character issues, Ackerman and Norby, the better-financed candidates, sent mailers attacking each other's character.
Norby called Ackerman a liar. Ackerman hammered Norby on a sexual harassment lawsuit that was overturned by an appellate court in 2007.
The special election is a result of Mike Duvall's resignation. Duvall, who is married and has two children, resigned a day after his claim to having sex with two lobbyists was picked up by an open microphone during a lull in a committee hearing.
