From MercuryNews.com:

A lawsuit filed in federal court this morning claims the special election to replace former Sen. Abel Maldonado doesn’t allow sufficient time to prepare the polls and seeks to delay the June 22 contest.

The suit alleges that Monterey County, one of five counties represented by the open Senate seat, would be at odds with the federal Voting Rights Act. Because of past voting problems, Monterey County is required to get federal clearance before holding a special election, but that clearance can take up to 60 days to get and could come after the scheduled election.

“There simply isn’t enough time in the schedule,” said attorney Michael Bien with San Francisco-based Rosen, Bien & Galvan LLP, which submitted today’s suit. “The idea is that if you’re a district required to go through this pre-clearance, there’s supposed to be time to engage the community.” The suit, against Monterey County and the state of California, was filed on behalf of three voters in Monterey County, Maria Buell, Antonio Alvaro Morales, and Guadalupe Joan Perez.

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