city council member loses seat by one vote

John Tran, former mayor and city councilman of Rosemead, California has lost his seat. By one vote. Last week, when the latest recount left him a single vote short of winning one of the three city council seats up for election, Tran officially called it quits: By one vote, an election in lost in Rosemead.

After the March 3 election -- with all the provisional and absentee ballots counted -- Tran found himself in fourth place, behind by 30 votes. A hand recount narrowed the margin to five votes... but still leaving him in in fourth place. A two-month campaign to contest disqualified absentee ballots got him four more votes.

That left him with one vote short. And he couldn't come up with it. So Tran lost his seat. Ouch. So if you're one of those people who thinks that you're vote doesn't count, tell that to John Tran, former Rosemead City Council member.