ARELLANO WANTS OUT; MIGHT STAY ON BALLOT.

Byline: Naush Boghossian Staff Writer

Troubled school board candidate Christopher Arellano tried Thursday to formally withdraw from the June 6 runoff, but city officials said his name must legally remain on the ballot.

City Clerk Frank Martinez said he consulted with the city attorney after receiving a faxed letter from Arellano saying he wanted to pull out. Based on the advice he received, Martinez will recommend to the City Council today that the names of Arellano and opponent Monica Garcia both appear on the ballot.

``We couldn't find a situation ever when a candidate was nominated and wanted to withdraw from a runoff,'' Martinez said. ``We've had candidates file nominating papers and decide not to run, but not when they went through the entire nominating election portion and decided to withdraw. This was really unusual.''

Arellano did not return phone calls.

But in a March 14 letter to supporters, he said he planned to withdraw after reports surfaced that he had twice been convicted of shoplifting during the 1990s and had falsely claimed to have two master's degrees from USC.

``I had intended to keep fighting and be an example of how one could change their life around and be an example for positive change,'' he wrote. ``However, some mistakes that I have made by omission have turned what should have been a race about the achievement gap, the dropout rate and mayoral control into a race about my own record. For this I am truly sorry.''

Arellano is employed by United Teachers Los Angeles, which had endorsed him and contributed $200,000 to his campaign.

Garcia captured 47 percent of the vote and Arellano 19 percent in the March 7 election to succeed Jose Huizar, who resigned when he was elected in November to the Los Angeles City Council.

``My team continues to plan for that runoff election and we are going to work hard,'' Garcia said.

Naush Boghossian, [phone]

naush.boghossian(at)dailynews.com