IRVINE : 5,600 Names Filed to Force Election

Petitioners hoping to force a special election to fill a vacant council seat submitted 5,600 signatures Monday to the city clerk’s office.

The signatures--about 1,000 more than required to call a special election in November--increases the likelihood that voters, rather than the City Council, will choose a successor to William A. (Art) Bloomer, who resigned from the council this month to accept a job in Virginia.

City Clerk Judy Vonada said that the petitions will be turned over to the county registrar of voters for verification.

By collecting extra signatures, petitioners said, they have insurance in case some of the names are disqualified.

But if petitioners fall short, the City Council on July 27 will attempt to appoint someone to serve the year remaining on Bloomer’s term.

Monday was the deadline for people to submit candidate applications. The candidates vying for the appointment are: Charles Devore, a business executive; Mirali Jazayeri, a business consultant; Channa Samynathan, a full-time student; Bruce Peotter, an attorney; Greg Smith, a business owner and Irvine Unified School District board member; Basil (Bill) Vardoulis, president of an engineering firm; Jacques Warshauer, a business executive; and Kenneth Bruner, executive assistant to Supervisor Thomas F. Riley.