Assembly Candidate Wilcox Can Keep His Ballot Title

State Assembly candidate Robert G. Wilcox can describe himself as an “assemblymember’s legislative representative” on the June ballot, a Sacramento Superior Court judge ruled Friday, rejecting a challenge by a rival candidate.

Wilcox’s ballot designation was disputed by Paula Boland, who filed suit Thursday to force state election officials to reject the description as an exaggeration of Wilcox’s credentials.

But Judge Michael J. Virga ruled that the description was not misleading and denied Boland’s request that he order the secretary of state’s office to reject Wilcox’s ballot identification.

Wilcox, a former field representative for retiring Assemblywoman Marian W. La Follette (R-Northridge), is on leave from his post as executive director of a La Follette task force to break up the Los Angeles Unified School District. Wilcox and Boland are among five candidates seeking the Republican nomination for La Follette’s seat in the June 5 primary.

Boland contended in court documents that Wilcox’s ballot description “falsely creates the impression that Mr. Wilcox has a higher, more responsible position than his actual status” and implies that he “has some form of incumbency status.”

Wilcox has maintained that the description accurately characterized his past duties for La Follette. He chose the identification after abandoning an earlier description, “Assembly executive director,” after state officials challenged him last month to substantiate it.

In court Friday, an attorney for Wilcox presented a written declaration from La Follette, who said the term “legislative representative” was accurate. Boland’s lawyer countered with a document from Assemblywoman Cathie Wright (R-Simi Valley), who said the duties of field representatives are not “legislative” in nature.

After the ruling in his favor, Wilcox said that “the people won” and he looks forward to debating the issues with Boland, a Granada Hills businesswoman.

Boland could not be reached for comment. Campaign consultant Carlos Rodriguez said: “Obviously we never intended this to be a winner-loser situation. We saw it exclusively as an issue of what is truthful and what isn’t.”