State audit criticizes L.A. Registrar
As Secretary of State Debra Bowen mulls whether to impose additional security measures on Los Angeles County's voting systems, an audit released Tuesday found a host of problems in the county Registrar-Recorder's Office.Troy Anderson in the Daily News.
Auditors found the department exceeded its Board of Supervisors-adopted overtime budget in each of the last six years, was not conducting criminal background checks for employees appointed to sensitive positions, and in some instances violated civil service rules by bypassing higher-ranked candidates and hiring and promoting lower-ranked ones.
"These practices result in bypassing eligible candidates, which can lead to a perception of favoritism and reduced morale from employees having an unfavorable perception of the fairness of their department's exams and promotion process," Auditor-Controller Tyler McCauley wrote.