SIMI VALLEY : Court Order Sought to Allow 2 to Vote

The Ventura County district attorney’s office is seeking a court order allowing two Simi Valley residents to vote because their names have not appeared on voter rolls even though they registered in May.

Special Assistant Dist. Atty. Don Coleman said Monday that his office had helped Jason Lenway and Heather Williams, both 19, file for a writ of mandate that would allow them to vote in the Nov. 3 election.

A Superior Court judge will consider the request today.

“They basically have to say, ‘Hey, I’m qualified to vote, I attempted to register to vote,’ ” Coleman said.

Lenway and Williams filled out registration forms outside a Target store in Simi Valley and kept their registration stubs. When he did not receive a sample ballot, Lenway contacted the county registrar and found out that he was not eligible to vote.

After investigating, Coleman said his office decided to help the two petition the court because, “it would have been unconscionable to ask them to obtain their own attorney to do it.”

Richard Dean, county clerk and recorder, has joined the request on the pair’s behalf.

Coleman said the investigation into what happened to the completed registration cards, which Lenway and Williams gave to an independent contractor hired by Lee and Associates, is continuing. He urged anyone who has registered to vote but whose name does not appear on the registrar’s list to contact investigator Robert Briner at the district attorney’s office at 654-5075.