SANTA ANA — In an effort to remove a contender from the ballot, the Orange County Democratic Party has asked the registrar of voters to investigate the validity of nomination petitions submitted by a Huntington Beach Democrat seeking to represent northwest Orange County in the Assembly.

The Democrats have filed a complaint with the registrar alleging that Laurie Campbell violated the Election Code and committed perjury on her nomination papers in the 67th Assembly District.

Jim Toledano, county Democratic chair, also contended that "one or more Republican legislators and their operatives engineered" her candidacy to "dupe" Democratic voters and "sabotage" Linda Moulton-Patterson, the only other Democrat on the ballot in the Nov. 28 election.

Campbell, who describes herself as a conservative and has said she is running to keep a liberal from winning, declined to comment on the charges. She has refused to identify who asked her to run.

State Sen. Ross Johnson (R-Newport Beach), a key GOP strategist in the election, dismissed the allegations.

"What is it about democracy and elections that Mr. Toledano doesn't like?" he said. "The voters are smart enough to make their decision on their own. How about debating issues instead of filing complaints?"

The challenge to Campbell's candidacy comes in the Nov. 28 recall election of former Assembly Speaker Doris Allen (R-Cypress). Voters in the northwest Orange County district are being asked to recall Allen and to simultaneously decide who should replace her. There are four Republicans and the two Democrats on the winner-take-all ballot, which will help decide who controls the Assembly.

Toledano's allegations were based on stories in The Times, which reported on the strategy of Orange County Republican leaders and other conservatives who wanted to limit the election field to three or fewer Republicans and also recruit Democrats to dilute the vote for Moulton-Patterson. Republican leaders and others said the tactic is common statewide.

In his complaint to the registrar, Toledano cited requirements under state law that the circulator of nomination petitions--whether the candidate or someone else--must sign the document and declare under penalty of perjury that she or he is a registered voter in the political district.

Campbell declared she was the circulator of her petitions. However, 12 of the 43 registered Democrats who signed them told The Times that the petitioners were men.