Assessing recall petitions straining counties

Orange County Register ^ | July 21, 2003 | Alexandria page

[An Old Man]

Monday, July 21, 2003 Assessing recall petitions straining counties The deadline is Wednesday to deliver their verdicts to the secretary of state.

By ALEXANDRIA SAGE The Associated Press

SAN BERNARDINO – Democratic Gov. Gray Davis and his allies aren't the only ones getting headaches from the Republican-led recall drive that could qualify for the ballot this week.

The recall also creates burdens for elections officials in California's 58 counties, who have the task of counting the more than 1.6 million signatures submitted by proponents, verifying them through random sampling, and reporting totals to the secretary of state by Wednesday.

"It's an awful lot of work," said Scott Konopasek, San Bernardino County registrar of voters.

The extra duties come as counties struggle with budget deficits that have strained resources. Faced with the work of sorting through stacks of petitions, some counties have canceled vacations, diverted employees from other divisions, hired temporary workers and asked employees to work overtime.

In San Bernardino County, the planned introduction of touch-screen voting this fall looks in doubt because of the extra time devoted to counting signatures.

"You can't turn this stuff around quickly," said Stephen Weir, county clerk-recorder of Contra Costa County. "California election officials are competent and efficient, but there is a limit of what you can throw at your staff."

Counties verify signatures by checking 3 percent of them against voter rolls. If the totals they report Wednesday indicate that the recall forces have collected more than 110 percent of the 897,158 valid signatures required, Secretary of State Kevin Shelley will certify that the recall has qualified. He plans to make an announcement Thursday.

Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante would then schedule a special recall election for 60 to 80 days from the certification date. State and county election officials have discussed Sept. 30 or Oct. 7 as possible election dates.

There is no existing statewide fall election this year, so counties without previously scheduled fall elections would have to gear up from scratch. But some counties that do have fall elections scheduled worry that an October special election could complicate registration deadlines.

Then there's the cost - in Orange County, a special recall election would require $1.5 million to $2 million, according to Steve Rodermund, interim registrar of voters

Davis allies, who have sued alleging signatures for the recall were collected illegally, including by people not properly registered to vote in California, are still pursuing their challenge. They planned to file an appeal today after a Los Angeles Superior Court judge on Friday denied their request for a temporary restraining order to keep Shelley from certifying the recall until their allegations were investigated.

But county clerks were preparing to meet Wednesday's deadline.

"We will meet the challenge," said Victor Salazar, county clerk of Fresno County.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Register staff writer Martin Wisckol contributed to this report.

[An Old Man]

Of all the things the government is supposed to do, I would think that the elections process is at the to pf the list. Looks like some more of these lazy people need to have the benefit of being the object of a recal petition.

[jalisco555]

"It's an awful lot of work," said Scott Konopasek, San Bernardino County registrar of voters.

Hey, Scott, isn't that, like, your job?

[Redbob]

"In San Bernardino County, the planned introduction of touch-screen voting this fall looks in doubt because of the extra time devoted to counting signatures."

See, some good has come from this already!

(How do you verify or recount "touchscreen" ballots?)

[NEWwoman]

bttt