Long Beach : Incumbent Accused of Code Violation on Voter Mailing
A candidate running for the 6th District seat on the Long Beach City Council has accused incumbent Clarence Smith of violating the state Election Code by distributing applications for absentee ballots.
Doris Topsy-Elvord said the applications sent by Smith and his campaign staff, Friends of Clarence Smith, failed to identify the name of the organization distributing the information. California law requires that the organization be identified on the application.
A spokesman for Smith said the mailings were clearly marked with Smith’s address and photographs of him.
“It says you have to mail it back to Clarence Smith,” spokesman Mike Robbins said. “It’s obvious that it came from him.”
Topsy-Elvord, who has asked the city prosecutor to investigate her allegations, is one of four candidates challenging Smith in the April 14 election.
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