FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: STILL COUNTING — Assemblymember Evan Low is apparently still smarting from a contentious recount in his March primary race for an open House seat in Silicon Valley — even though he came out ahead. Low told Playbook that he plans to unveil legislation today to overhaul California’s recount process due to the “lingering bad taste” from his experience. Low had been tied for second place with Joe Simitian, a third Democrat, and headed for a three-way November contest when a former staffer for first-place rival Sam Liccardo requested a recount … falsely claiming in the paperwork that it was on Low’s behalf. His new bill would require anyone who requests a recount, which can easily cost the requester six figures, to immediately disclose their major funding sources. It would also trigger automatic recounts in extra-close races, where the candidates are separated by less than 25 votes or 0.25 percent of the ballots cast. “I was just beside myself seeing a public document stating that there was a recount being processed in my name,” Low said of the request from former Liccardo staffer and donor Jonathan Padilla, which threw the outcome into limbo for weeks. “It just doesn’t pass the smell test.” The primary race for retiring Rep. Anna Eshoo’s safe Democratic seat in Silicon Valley caused a stir when Low and Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian each received exactly 30,249 votes in the initial count — a statistical anomaly that would have allowed for Low and Simitian to both advance to the general election. Low won the recount with five additional votes that guaranteed him the second spot on the November ballot. But he has continued to allege that Liccardo, a former mayor of San Jose, coordinated the request in a play to remove one of his competitors and make it a traditional two-way contest. Liccardo, who easily finished first in the primary, denied having any role in the recount request. Liccardo responded to Low’s allegations by suggesting that the lawmaker opposed a democratic process designed to ensure every vote was counted. Low’s bill appears designed, at least in part, to keep questions swirling around the controversy. Low has continued to lambast Liccardo — who is still seen as the frontrunner — and his allies over the brouhaha, calling it a “dark money” operation. The super PAC behind the recount, which was expected to cost more than $350,000, won’t be required to disclose all of its donors until July. A recent filing shows at least one funding source: A different super PAC bankrolled by billionaire Michael Bloomberg gave $102,000 to the committee behind the recount, as the Mercury News first reported. Low’s legislation would require supporters of voter-requested recounts to disclose any contributions of $10,000 or more within 24 hours. Even Eshoo, who backed Simitian in the primary, has expressed concern about the opaque funding sources of the recount effort in her district. She posted on X in April that without that immediate disclosure, “a dark shadow is cast across the landscape.” GOOD MORNING. Happy Wednesday. Thanks for waking up with Playbook. You can text us at 916-562-0685 — save it as “CA Playbook” in your contacts. Or drop us a line at lkorte@politico.com and dgardiner@politico.com, or on X — @DustinGardiner and @Lara_Korte. WHERE’S GAVIN? Nothing official announced.
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