Posted on 02/01/2005 6:41:44 PM PST by NormsRevenge
SACRAMENTO (AP) - As Secretary of State Kevin Shelley faces multiple investigations into his performance in office, as well as calls for his resignation, a key constituency - California's 58 county elections officials - has been conspicuously absent in rallying support to him.
County officials call Shelley's tenure as California's top elections official a disappointment, so many are standing on the sidelines as he struggles to keep his job.
"The point of view I have is we're all disappointed in the way things have happened in the secretary of state's office under his watch," said Debbie Hench, registrar of voters in San Joaquin County. "I think there's less support than there used to be."
Indeed, after an uneasy relationship that includes Shelley's blanket decertification of electronic voting machines, numerous late payments to counties and spats over a statewide voter registration database, county clerks and registrars of voters are more likely to be accusers in Shelley's unfolding drama than defenders.
"I certainly wouldn't be surprised if they were asked to testify" at the Joint Legislative Audit Committee hearings that will resume Thursday, said Steve Maviglio, a spokesman for Democratic Assembly members. Among those expected to attend Thursday's hearing is Conny McCormack, a frequent Shelley critic as Los Angeles County's registrar of voters and head of the California Association of Clerks and Election Officials.
Shelley is scheduled to testify under oath regarding allegations his office has mishandled millions of dollars in federal election funds. A December state audit said his office poorly managed $46 million in Help America Vote Act funds by issuing contracts without competitive bidding and hiring consultants who attended partisan political events to promote Shelley. Federal authorities have also begun an audit of Shelley's handling of funds meant to upgrade voting systems nationally after the 2000 presidential vote debacle in Florida.
There's a "lower level of cohesion" between Shelley's office and counties, acknowledged Shelley spokeswoman Caren Daniels-Meade, adding that much is due to new federal requirements and Shelley's call for more security for touch-screen voting.
"I wasn't happy with the way they handled HAVA money," said Ann Barnett, Kern County's auditor-controller, county clerk and registrar of voters. Barnett, like other elections officials, complained of a cumbersome state process to apply for money due to counties, and the state's unpredictability in delivering it.
State Auditor Elaine Howle charged that Shelley consistently missed deadlines to send money to counties to upgrade their voting machines and cost them thousands of dollars in lost interest income. Santa Clara County elections spokeswoman Elma Rosas confirmed Tuesday that state delays cost her county approximately $18,000, while Los Angeles County officials complained the delays similarly cost them $28,000.
Barnett, like Hench, was on the receiving end last year of Shelley's order banning use of 14,000 Diebold electronic voting machines in four counties, including 1,350 machines in Kern County and 1,626 in San Joaquin County. Shelley said they lacked federal approval for the March 2004 primary, while Barnett and Hench maintained her machines were popular and performed well.
"Overall, my experience with the secretary of state has been disappointing," Barnett said.
Shelley's troubles have added even more uncertainty.
"For us, we're walking this fine line," said Hench. "Will he stay or will he go? Are we going to continue to work for him or not?"
Meanwhile, Tuesday, Republicans named Sacramento attorney James Sweeney as their independent counsel to guide their party on the 14-member JLAC committee. Sweeney was chief counsel in the secretary of state's office in 1997 and 1998. Democrats have named Sacramento attorney Malcom Segal as their JLAC independent counsel. Segal specializes in white-collar crime issues.
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On the Net:
Secretary of State's office: http://www.ss.ca.gov
Joint Legislative Audit Committee: http://www.assembly.ca.gov/acs/newcomframeset.asp?committee208
The poll on SF Gate shows a huge support...for Shelley to resign. No one seems to support him except the extreme DUmmies! This guy just doesn't seem to get it! He's freaken toast!
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