A Fontana man who ran for office in two counties violated no laws in San Bernardino County and was an eligible Fontana City Council candidate, prosecutors said Friday.

Keith McCarter, 37, registered to vote in San Bernardino County on Aug. 10 and filed candidacy papers for the Fontana council the following day.

He had already registered to vote in Riverside County in July and had filed paperwork as a candidate for the Riverside Community College board the day before he registered to vote in San Bernardino County.

The San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office launched an investigation into McCarter's dual candidacy on Oct. 4.

San Bernardino County Deputy District Attorney John Goritz said charges considered by prosecutors included perjury, a felony, and Election Code violations. But while the circumstances behind McCarter's dual candidacy were unusual, prosecutors determined they were not illegal in San Bernardino County.

"It is a very strange set of circumstances," Goritz said.

McCarter told investigators with the district attorney's public-integrity unit that his move from a Riverside apartment into a Fontana home was due to unexpected family matters.

McCarter

Faxed a letter announcing his withdrawal from the community-college board race to the Riverside County registrar of voters on Oct. 10. However, his name still appeared on ballots that were mailed to absentee voters on the same day.

The Riverside County District Attorney's Office also reviewed the case to determine if a crime was committed, said spokeswoman Ingrid Wyatt.

Fontana officials told investigators that the city doesn't have a minimum amount of time required for a candidate to live in the city before running for office.

Candidates are required to be registered voters in the county. Investigators determined that McCarter's Fontana address was listed on his driver's license. He also listed it as his mailing address on his Riverside County declaration of candidacy, Goritz said.

He listed his Riverside address as the place he resided on the paperwork.

McCarter came in last out of five Fontana council candidates in the Nov. 7 election.

The Riverside County District Attorney's Office also chose not to file charges.

"We declined to prosecute because no crime was committed here in Riverside County," said Wyatt.

BS Ranch Perspective:

I just think in this case the person that was hunting after this person was so diligent that they mistook his filing in two counties as a false filing of registration, in violation of the Voter's Laws. However it was later proven that since he changed his residence it was all legal like, the person that filed the complaint was just a person that hated this person so much that they wanted to get them into trouble for what ever it was that they could find, and the Voter Law's was the only thing that they could find!!

Must be great to have such kind and generous friends!!

BS Ranch