ANAHEIM, Calif.—An attempt to recall Anaheim City Councilwoman Natalie Rubalcava was defeated, with the no side leading 54.09 percent to 45.91 percent, according to results from the Orange County Registrar of Voters released Tuesday evening, June 4.
There are 292 ballots left to process, but that is not enough to change the outcome with 2,660 no votes to 2,258 yes votes. Turnout was 19.1 percent, according to the Registrar of Voters.
Ms. Rubalcava drew the ire of United Here Local 11, a union for hotel workers, who accused her of corruption. Ms. Rubalcava denied any misconduct and accused the union of sour grapes when it failed to defeat her in the November 2022 election.
Ms. Rubalcava, who also serves on the Orange County Fair Board, represents District 3.
Union leaders said in their statement for the recall that the councilwoman “sides with the same powerful business interests who have corrupted Anaheim politics.”
The recall supporters also said “she has wasted taxpayer money to help hotel interests.”
The recall boosters also tied her to disgraced former Chamber of Commerce CEO Todd Ament, who pleaded guilty to fraud in federal court. They said Mr. Ament’s organization “spent nearly $380,000 to elect her.”
Ms. Rubalcava, however, said the recall “is about one LA-based organization that hasn’t gotten over losing the last election.”
She said the claims from recall supporters were “exaggerated or completely untrue.”
