LONG BEACH : State Probes Complaint of Intimidation in Election

The secretary of state’s office is investigating a complaint that supporters of recently elected Long Beach City Councilman Mike Donelon attempted to intimidate voters before last month’s special election, a spokesman said.

Donelon handily defeated community activist Tonia Reyes Uranga in the Feb. 7 election., which was scheduled after the candidates finished virtually even in a race last June.

The complaint from the Incorporated Mexican-American Government Employees of Greater Long Beach contended that Donelon campaign workers phoned dozens of voters and warned that their absentee ballots may be invalid. Some of the callers implied that they were police representatives and hinted that police were investigating alleged voter fraud and deceptive campaigning by Uranga supporters.