Karlin Wins School Board Race by 1 Vote; Koplin Seeks Recount

It’s official: Michael Karlin has won a seat on the Beverly Hills school board--by one vote. But it may not be over yet.

In the final count from the Nov. 2 election, the Los Angeles County registrar-recorder’s office reported Monday that Karlin won the unexpired two-year seat on the board over Jo Ann Koplin, 3,142 to 3,141. (Two four-year seats were won easily by incumbents A. J. Willmer and Lillian Raffel.)

Koplin filed for a recount late Tuesday, however, so it may be several more weeks before the matter can be put to rest.

Karlin was under no illusion that his victory was assured. “Yes, I am the winner by one vote,” he said Tuesday, but added, “This endless saga continues. I view this as a steppingstone on the road to reaching a conclusive result.”

The county’s rules for recounts require the candidate requesting one to pay the cost, although the county reimburses the candidate if the recount changes the outcome of the election.

Registrar-recorder spokeswoman Grace Romero said that based on 1992 election standards, a recount would cost about $642 day for a recount panel of four people, and about $829 for an eight-person panel. Romero declined to estimate how long a recount of the Beverly Hills race might take or how soon it might start; the most recent recount she could recall, she said, took about a week.

Beverly Hills School Supt. Sol Levine said he did not expect the recount results to be available for the Dec. 7 meeting at which new school board members are to be sworn in. If the count isn’t finished, Levine said, then Karlin, the current winner, will take the seat in the interim.

“This is a good reminder to everyone about how important their vote is,” said Koplin.