Published on Wednesday, November 04, 2009
By Daily Breeze Staff Writer
The two candidates for the third and final Lomita City Council seat were tied after provisional and vote-by-mail ballots were counted Wednesday, an astonishing turn of events that perhaps illustrates voters' doubts about veteran Councilwoman Margaret Estrada.
Estrada led attorney James P. Thompson by 18 votes when counting finished Tuesday evening, leaving her with 863 votes to his 845.
But when 21 provisional ballots and 40 vote-by-mail ballots were tallied Wednesday, Thompson and Estrada were in a deadlock.
That means Thompson picked up almost twice as many votes in Wednesday's count as Estrada did.
Lomita's Municipal Code calls for a run-off election between the two candidates, although a recount will take place first.
"Unbelievable," City Clerk Dawn Tomita said. "It's the worst nightmare you can possible imagine."
Not surprisingly, Thompson had a different take on events.
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