Judge Orders Palos Verdes Home Association To Count Votes

PALOS VERDES, CA – The Palos Verdes Home Association must unseal and tally ballots cast in its recent board election even though the group considers them invalid, based on an order made by a Los Angeles Superior Court judge. This was the ninth year in a row the association didn't meet its quorum requirement which requires more than 50 percent of members to vote, even though the voting deadline was extended to Feb. 8, according to Daily Breeze. Each time that happens, the ballots remain uncounted and the directors either retain their seats or appoint new members.

A group of activists filed a lawsuit last May, but Judge Ruth Kwan said in December that she would wait to see if a quorum was reached. After it wasn't, the judge called for an informal tally of the votes last week to help her decide how to rule in the case, Daily Breeze reported. The votes will be counted March 3, according to Sidney Croft, legal counsel for the PV Homes Association. Kwan and the parties in the lawsuit will hear the results in court on March 15, according to Daily Breeze.

The vote count isn't binding, but if it indicates a large majority of voters are either pleased or displeased with the current leadership, that will affect the judge's decision, Jeff Lewis, legal counsel for Residents for Open Board Elections, told Daily Breeze.

Regardless of the deadline extension, the lawsuit, and a campaign to get Palos Verdes Estates residents to participate, only 40 percent of members voted this year, which is 10 percent shy of the required quorum.

Read more at Daily Breeze

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