The race for City Council District 13 has really heated up, with both candidates accusing the other of stealing votes. The controversy is centered in the Armenian community, in buildings that house mainly elderly Armenian voters. Ted Chen reports from Little Armenia for the NBC4 News at 5 p.m. on May 21, 2013.
There are allegations of election fraud in the race for the City Council seat vacated by Los Angeles mayoral candidate Eric Garcetti.
Both District 13 candidates, John Choi and Mitch O’farrell, are accusing each other of stealing votes.
The controversy is centered in the Armenian community, in buildings that house many elderly Armenian voters. They are critical votes in the election for the Los Angeles City Council District 13 between O’Farrell and Choi.
The controversy also centers around a picture that's been submitted to the district attorney and the city clerk's office by Choi's campaign. It appears to show a pile of absentee ballots on a bed.
The Choi campaign alleges that supporters of O'Farrell have been illegally filling out absentee ballots and collecting them from Armenian voters.
The O'Farrell campaign has countercharged that Choi supporters have been intimidating voters and telling them to vote twice.
The allegations are being reviewed by the district attorney's office and the city clerk has dispatched workers to observe polling places.
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“We are aware of the allegations, so we basically made sure to take precautions and have not only our troubleshooters monitor the elections, but we also have city employees assisting us as well today,” said Maria De La Luz Garcia, of the Los Angeles City Clerk’s Office.
