LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Two registered sex offenders and the Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws filed a lawsuit today challenging a Los Angeles County policy that prohibits all registrants from serving as poll workers.
According to the Los Angeles Superior Court complaint, the Los Angeles County policy is barred by state law and violates the equal protection clauses of the state and federal constitutions. A representative for Los Angeles County could not be immediately reached. The two individual plaintiffs live in Los Angeles County and want to serve as poll workers, the suit states. The other plaintiff, ACSOL, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring the civil rights of sex offender registrants through litigation, legislation and education.
Although Los Angeles County and Orange County prohibit all registered sex offenders from serving as poll workers, several counties including Riverside, Sacramento and San Diego, do not, according to the suit, which maintains there is no state law that prohibits registrants from serving as poll workers.
The state's Megan's Law website identifies more than 13,000 registered sex offenders -- including those convicted of non-contact, non-violent offenses -- living in Los Angeles County. All are banned from serving as poll workers, the suit states.