its residents were Hispanic or Latino. In 2010, only 43.3% held a high school degree or equivalent, and just 6.0% held a post-secondary degree. Small businesses, such as auto shops, markets, butcher shops, and bakeries dominated Bell's streets. The city's unemployment rate at the time was 16%. Bell's local elections are officially nonpartisan. Charter votes and irregularities In 2005, a measure approved by Bell voters exempted the city from a state law enacted earlier that year which limited the salary of council members of general-law cities—cities without a charter of their own. All five members of the Bell City Council signed a statement in favor of the "little-noticed city ballot measure", which converted Bell into a charter city and was "billed as one that would give the city more control," yet failed to mention that Bell became exempted from the salary regulations. The measure passed, 336 votes in favor and 54 against. The salaries and pensions scandal in Bell also brought into question the issue of voter fraud. In the 2005 election, fewer than 400 votes were cast in a special election that cleared the way for City Council members to dramatically boost their own salaries. In that election, more than half the votes cast were absentee ballots, the most vulnerable method to manipulate fraudulent votes. One resident of Bell, on condition of anonymity, told the Los Angeles Times that he was assigned the chore of retrieving absentee ballots: "Our objective was to collect absentee ballots, and if they were not filled out, instruct them how to fill it out, and if not, fill it out for them", he said. It is estimated that less than 1% of registered voters actually showed up to cast their ballot. It has been reported that some residents went to the polling place, only to find that their votes had already been cast. Voter fraud led to scandal Assertions about discrepancies in the 2009 election were also examined by the FBI and California's Secretary of State. A source at the FBI confirmed that they were aware of the accusations. In the police report were listed the names of 19 voters who allegedly were either living in Lebanon, or were deceased at the time that their votes were cast. As L.A. prosecutors investigated potential voter fraud, several citizens allegedly told the Times that city officials encouraged them to fill out absentee ballots in a manner