Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt, incumbent Mayor Karen Bass’s closest rival in the June 2nd open primary election, has filed a formal complaint with the Los Angeles City Clerk alleging that Bass violated election laws by campaigning near a ballot drop box.
In the complaint, Pratt’s attorney, Peter McNulty, blasted Bass for “flagrantly violat[ing] State of California and City of Los Angeles election laws by engaging in illegal electioneering.”
According to California state law, illegal electioneering is “the visible display or audible dissemination of information that advocates for or against any candidate or measure on the ballot within the 100 foot limit specified in subdivision.” This includes “obstructing access to, loitering near, or disseminating visible or audible electioneering information at vote by mail ballot drop boxes.” The city of Los Angeles has a similar law on the books.
This complaint comes after Bass made a campaign video, allegedly soliciting votes with supporters holding signs within 100 feet of a dropbox, which McNulty describes as “blatant electioneering directly near a polling place and drop box location.”
Supporters in the video are further seen disseminating audible electioneering information by chanting “Four more years” as Bass places her mail-in ballot in the drop box. Bass is also heard shouting at the voters as they cast their ballots, “One more vote to win!”
Hellbound and Down 