A year later, Spicer declared winner of Compton council race

Wave Staff Report

COMPTON — Andre Spicer was sworn in as a member of the Compton City Council May 31, five days after a Superior Court judge named him the winner in the 2nd Council District election that was held last June.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michelle Williams ruled May 27 that Spicer was the victor of the runoff election with a total vote count of 854 to 851.

Spicer was sworn in by City Clerk Alita Godwin.

“I would like to welcome Mr. Spicer as he joins my colleagues and I on the Compton City Council,” said Mayor Emma Sharif. “As we move forward, I am optimistic that the residents of District 2 will be strongly represented by Councilmember Spicer and I anticipate collaborating with him and all my colleagues for the well-being of our residents and our city.”

Judge Court ruled that four votes that were counted last June for Isaac Galvan were illegally cast. Galvan, who was seeking his third term on the council last year, originally was declared the winner of the election by a slim one-vote margin over Spicer, 855-854.

But the judge ruled that four votes cast for Galvan were cast by people who did not live in Compton’s 2nd District.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office charged Galvan and five others last August with vote fraud, accusing four of those charged with registering to vote and casting votes in Compton, even though they lived outside the city.

Galvan was also accused of trying to bribe a Registrar of Voters employee as she was counting ballots on election night,” the D.A.’s office said in a statement last year.

“I’m elated,” Spicer told NBCLA after the judge’s ruling. “I’m grateful to the judicial system. This is something we’ve been fighting hard for — for the last 11 months.”

Spicer said there have been rumors of voter fraud and schemes for years in Compton, and said he worried the community had lost faith in voting.

“I think this helps to get us engaged again,” he told the station. “It’s just a relief for the entire city to expose it, and hopefully, rid ourselves of it.”

Spicer will attend his first City Council meeting on June 7.