Galvan Appears In Compton Court Found Guilty Of Election Fraud
Last Friday, A Compton city council election was overturned after a judge ruled that the incumbent councilman rigged votes to secure his victory.
Councilman Isaac Galvan will be replaced by his challenger Andre Spicer. Superior Court Judge Michelle Williams Court determined that four of the votes cast for Galvan during a June 2021 runoff election were submitted by people who were not legal residents of the district.
The judge ruled that his challenger Spicer was the winner, with a verified vote count of 854 to Galvan’s 851.
Spicer has contested the results of the election for the last year after losing to Galvan by just a single vote. Spicer told NBC LA that he is pleased with last week’s ruling.
“I’m grateful to the judicial system,” said Spicer. He told the outlet that he had “been fighting hard for -for the last 11 months.”
Spicer said there had been rumors of voter fraud for years in Compton. He noted that he was concerned the community had lost faith in the voting system.
“I think this helps to get us engaged again,” he said. “It’s just a relief for the entire city to expose it, and hopefully, rid ourselves of it.”
It was not immediately clear how soon the judge’s decision would allow Spicer to take office.
The ruling comes after the LA County District Attorney’s Office charged Galvan and five others with conspiracy to commit election fraud last August. Despite living outside the district, the four others charged are accused of registering and casting votes in Compton.
Prosecutors also charged Galvan with bribery with the intent to influence an election for allegedly attempting to bribe an LA Country registrar employee on election night.
Galvan has been embroiled in several controversies since he first took office in 2013, including illegal practices surrounding marijuana, conspiracy against the mayor, and staff members who are entangled in a murder case.