Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Voters almost got left out of Tuesday's Alamo incorporation vote

Contra Costa County election workers spent Friday delivering sample ballots and other election materials by hand to a few dozen Alamo voters who were accidentally left off the mailing lists for Tuesday's vote.

Meanwhile, both sides of Measure A, which if passed will incorporate the area into a town, entered their final weekend of campaigning on the hotly debated issue. On the ballot are more than a dozen candidates, most of whom support incorporation, vying for five council seats if the measure passes. The top vote-getters will be elected.

Election services supervisor Sue Olvera said the elections division learned Thursday that 43 voters on the edge of the proposed town's boundary had been overlooked. It affected 23 homes, according to the elections office. The problem was discovered after someone called asking why they did not receive voting materials.

"They didn't get anything," said Olvera, adding that luckily the problem was detected early enough to solve. There are more than 10,000 voters in the area.

Every affected voter was contacted, and arrangements were made for personal delivery, according to the department. Voters who think they should have received a ballot but did not can call the elections division.

The latest campaign contribution statements show about the same amount of money being spent on both sides of the question

The Yes on A campaign has raised almost $48,000 this calender year, including $17,000 Advertisementin nonmonetary contributions, according to statements that were due to the county Feb. 19. The campaign has spent about $31,000.

There are two anti-incorporation groups. The We R Alamo campaign against incorporation has received more than $20,000, three-quarters of which is nonmonetary contributions, with more than $17,000 spent. Alamo Against A has received about $26,000, including about $8,000 in nonmonetary contributions, and spent about $17,000.

Tony Carnemolla, an anti-incorporation organizer with We R Alamo who has also worked with the other anti-incorporation group, said there are also other small groups working on their own against the incorporation.



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