San Diego Mayoral vote stays in limbo

[Jon8503]

Justices hear appeal but hold off on ruling
By Greg Moran
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

December 4, 2004


NANCEE E. LEWIS / Union-Tribune
Appellate Justices William F. Rylaarsdam (from left), David Sills and Kathleen O'Leary heard 90 minutes of arguments in Santa Ana on a lawsuit challenging San Diego's mayoral election. The justices declined to lift their freeze on the certification of the vote.
SANTA ANA – Armed with the city charter, a huge stack of legal papers and a laundry list of questions, three state appeals court justices waded into the quandary that is the San Diego mayoral race yesterday.

After 90 minutes of sometimes lively arguments, the 4th District Court of Appeal panel said it will issue a ruling as soon as possible on a suit challenging the legality of the Nov. 2 election.

That decision, the justices said, will not come before Monday morning, when Mayor Dick Murphy's term is set to expire.

The justices also declined to lift their freeze on the certification of the vote in the race among Murphy, Councilwoman Donna Frye and county Supervisor Ron Roberts.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/20041204-9999-1n4writ.html