Absentee Ballots Confirm Recall of 2 Council Members

A final tally of absentee ballots confirms the recall of two Hawaiian Gardens council members and the survival of two others.

City voters rejected Councilwoman Kathleen Navejas by nearly a 3-to-1 margin, while Councilman Robert Prida succumbed by only 26 votes out of more than 1,300 ballots cast.

Mayor Lupe Cabrera remains on the council with a 169-vote buffer. Councilman Robert Canada also held his seat, but by just 20 votes.

Navejas will be succeeded by Ralph Cesena, a businessman who won the endorsement of the council majority. Prida will be succeeded by Alan Calcote. The new council members will be installed Tuesday.

“The first order of business is for the council to stop fighting and bickering with each other,” said Canada.

The recall election was considered a political showdown between supporters and opponents of a voter-approved card club. Construction of the potentially lucrative club has been stalled by lawsuits filed on Navejas’ behalf, leaving council members to argue over the city’s desperate shortage of revenue.

Ballots counted Thursday were mostly from absentee voters whose signatures had to be verified by the county. City officials said Tuesday’s turnout was relatively strong, drawing about 30% of the city’s 4,500 registered voters.

The results were tempered by preparations for a regular municipal election in March, when the terms of Cabrera, Canada and Prida were to expire. They have all announced plans to run again. Navejas plans to campaign for the position of city clerk, which also is on the March ballot.

Navejas’ lone council ally, Rene Flores, faces a recall election.