Voting By Noncitizens Confirmed In California Race

Nearly 550 noncitizens voted in the Orange County elections in November, when nine-term Republican Robert Dornan lost his House seat to a Democratic newcomer, a prosecutor confirmed Saturday.

The 547 noncitizens who voted, however, were not all from Dornan’s 46th Congressional District, District Attorney Michael Capizzi said at a hearing held by a congressional task force looking into possible voter fraud.

Secretary of State Bill Jones said he found 303 voters who had been unlawfully registered in the district by an immigrant rights group, but it was unclear for whom they voted.

The testimony was “the first concrete testimony we’ve gotten of fraudulent activities,” said task force chairman Rep. Vern Ehlers, R-Mich. But “it’s clearly not enough” to warrant a decision, he said.

Dornan, who lost by 984 votes, has asked the House of Representatives to overturn the election on grounds of voter fraud. He submitted documents alleging at least 1,789 illegal votes.

The task force must conclude not only that there were bad votes, but that there were enough to warrant overturning the election, said Ehlers.

Meanwhile, about 2,000 people gathered outside the county Hall of Administration, where the hearing was held, and chanted in English and Spanish. Many carried green signs saying “Dump Dornan,” and “Get a Job, Bob.”

Dornan lost to Loretta Sanchez, who found support among the growing Hispanic, Vietnamese and other immigrant neighborhoods in central Orange County’s 46th District.