Her Campaign Objective: ‘<i> Don’t </i> Vote for Me’ : Politics: New Councilwoman Josefina Macias is on the ballot. But voting for her could help defeat her allies.

Councilwoman Josefina (Josie) Macias is sounding a radical theme on the campaign trail for next month’s city elections. Although her name will be on the April 14 ballot, “I am telling people that I have already been elected and NOT to vote for me,” she said, laughing. “I don’t want them voting for me this time.”

Macias’ position of campaigning against herself is another fallout of the massive political upheaval in Bell Gardens, in which four council members were recalled. The timing of the December recall forced city officials to hold a special election last week, five weeks before the regular municipal elections. Macias and most other candidates signed up to run in both elections.

Macias and three others who led the successful recall were elected last week to replace the ousted council members. Macias won a two-year term, replacing Councilman Douglas O’Leary. George T. Deitch, Rodolfo (Rudy) Garcia and Frank B. Duran were elected, but they filled council seats that are on the April 14 ballot and must run for election again.

Macias’ name is also among the 12 candidates who filed to run April 14 for the three at-large council seats whose terms expire in 1996.

“I had my name put on the April ballot as a safeguard,” Macias said Tuesday afternoon as she prepared for an afternoon of campaigning--for Deitch, Garcia and Duran. “I wanted to make sure that if I did lose (in March), I could run again.”

Macias was required to file for candidacy in the April election weeks before the March special election, which she won easily with 63% of the vote.

“After I was elected, we tried to have (the name) taken off the ballot,” Macias said. “But we ran into a dead-end.”

Bell Gardens City Clerk Leanna Keltner said that under state election codes, once a ballot is printed, the candidates’ names cannot be changed or removed.

“They are worried that voters might be confused, think they are doing the right thing by voting for all four, then cast invalid ballots,” said Keltner. “It could hurt (their campaign).”

Ballots cast with four votes will be automatically disqualified, the city clerk said.

And what if Macias is one of the top vote-getters? She can choose to serve in either the four-year or the two-year seat, Keltner said, and the council would then appoint a fifth council member from the field of candidates or from the community.

Macias says she would rather keep the two-year term, “but only if my colleagues get elected. I have to wait and cross that bridge when I get to it.”