BY ADRIANA HERNANDEZ
Daily Post Staff Writer
San Mateo County Assistant Chief Elections Officer Jim Irizarry said he mistakenly registered with a far-right party, while his opponent claims it was not a mistake.
Supervisor David Canepa, who is running against Irizarry to be the next assessor-clerk-recorder and chief elections officer, said it was not a mistake that Irizarry was registered with the American Independent Party for over 10 years.
The American Independent Party is perhaps best known as the party of the late Alabama governor George Wallace, a champion of racial segregation. Wallace carried five states in the 1968 election under the American Independent Party banner. Wallace, who early in his career was with the Democratic Party, returned to that party after the 1968 election.
Party preference
Irizarry said he mistakenly registered with the party thinking it was an independent, non-partisan party. Once he became aware of the distinction, he changed it to the Democratic Party, he said.
“These claims are a desperate attempt to distract from a simple reality: my opponent lacks the experience, judgment and qualifications required for this position,” Irizarry said.
Registration confusion
Irizarry said that in California, many voters get confused, believing they are registering as independents but actually enrolling in a political party that opposes abortion rights, same sex marriage and immigrant rights.
“It’s one thing for an average voter to make this mistake — that’s understandable. But if you’re working in the office and running to be the chief elections officer in charge of elections, shouldn’t you understand the system better than that?” Canepa said in a statement.
‘Misinformation campaign’
“My opponent’s misinformation campaign is an attempt to divert attention from legitimate concerns about his own record,” Irizarry said.
Irizarry is supported by Supervisors Noelia Corzo, Ray Mueller and Jackie Speier.
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