LOS ANGELES : Council Candidate Faces Possible Disqualification

Lea Purwin D’Agostino, a top contender for the 5th District City Council seat, may have been disqualified Friday when election officials announced that she failed to collect enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot.

All candidates are required to submit a nominating petition with the signatures of 500 registered voters who live within the Westside-San Fernando Valley district. But only 380 of the 679 signatures that D’Agostino submitted were found to be valid, according to Los Angeles city election officials.

D’Agostino’s campaign manager, Darry Sragow, said she has until Wednesday to challenge the findings of election officials. He said he is confident that her campaign can show that at least 120 of the signatures that were thrown out are valid.