Registrar Halts Aliso Viejo Vote Recount

A recount of votes in the Aliso Viejo City Council election was called off Monday, the day it began, after the county’s registrar of voters determined that the results were unlikely to change.

About 1,000 absentee ballots from seven of the city’s 10 precincts were tallied Monday, with Karl P. Warkomski keeping a lead over opponent Russell Reinhart for the fifth council seat, Registrar Rosalyn Lever said. Initial results from the March 6 election for Aliso Viejo cityhood and the inaugural council had Reinhart losing by 11 votes.

“There were only minor changes in the votes, and it didn’t at all affect the difference between Warkomski and myself,” said Reinhart, who spent Monday at the registrar’s office in Santa Ana, where the recount took place. “I feel good about the process, but I’m disappointed in the way the election went.”

The recount was requested by Lake Forest resident Scott Voigts, a Reinhart supporter who paid $409 for one day of vote-tallying. Of 4,373 votes cast in the election, 1,500 were by absentee ballots.

Monday’s action ends what had been a raucous election in which accusations of campaign wrongdoing were leveled between Reinhart and a slate of candidates consisting of Carmen L. Vali, Cynthia Pickett and William Phillips, who were the top vote-getters in the race. A running mate of Reinhart, Greg Ficke, won the fourth seat.

Warkomski was pleased with Monday’s results.

“I’m looking forward to starting city business,” Warkomski said.

The new council will hold its first meeting at 7 tonight at the Aliso Viejo sheriff’s substation, 11 Journey.