Davis recall effort now at 389,337 signatures

Los Angeles Daily News ^ | 06-24-2003 | Erica Werner

[boris]

Davis recall effort now at 389,337 signatures

By Erica Werner
Associated Press

The Republican-led campaign to recall Democratic Gov. Gray Davis has collected nearly 400,000 signatures, close to half the number needed to put it on the ballot, elections officials in California counties reported Monday.

Recall proponents have claimed they were well on their way to collecting the 897,158 needed signatures, but Monday's deadline for counties to report totals to the secretary of state was an important date for them to prove they actually were.

The submitted signatures were those collected as of June 16. Many counties said they'd collected thousands of additional signatures since then.

Recall supporters said the numbers indicate they will collect the needed signatures by mid-July and force a special election in the fall, when they believe they would have the best chance of prevailing.

"We're definitely on target," said Dave Gilliard, director of Rescue California. Gilliard estimated the group has collected around 900,000 signatures total, many of which have not been submitted.

The signatures turned in so far have not been verified as valid. Political experts say the recall drive should collect significantly more signatures than required to allow for a percentage likely to be found invalid.

Recall opponents said recall backers still have a long way to go.

"At some point the disconnect between the spin of the proponents and the reality of the reporting -- the actual verifiable reporting -- has to be called into question," said Carroll Wills, spokesman for Taxpayers Against the Recall.

Under the recall process, counties must report signature totals to the secretary of state every 30 days. Monday's deadline counted signature collections as of June 16. At the last deadline, in May, recall supporters reported only 18,590 signatures. The final deadline for signatures is Sept. 2.

The secretary of state's office declined to make the numbers public Monday, so The Associated Press contacted the clerk's offices of all 58 counties directly. Responses were received from all except Placer, Tehama and Trinity.

The total signatures collected as of mid-June by the other 55 counties was 389,337.

[WL-law]

I wonder if the signature-certifiers will use the Bob-Dornan-stolen-election standard when doing their review? Methinks not; they'll opt for something a bit more rigorous.

[skeeter]

This recall isn't "Republican-led". Its as grassroots an effort as I've ever seen.

[NYC Republican]

I sure hope this fails... It could be disastrous for the GOP.

[Wolverine]

Signatures submitted 829,930 out of 898,157 petitions

http://www.dumpdavis.net/progress3.htm

[American Blood]

I agree. Davis will resign if they get the required number of signatures certified before the deadline.

[Reeses]

Don't forget to sign every anti-recall petition you can as well. It has no legal significance and costs Davis $1 every time. The petition asks for your address. I assume I'll be getting Davis junk mail, further burning Democrat money. Davis will probably wonder some day why Republicans are on his mailing list multiple times. And he will have lots of time on his hands to wonder.

[NYC Republican]

I agree. Davis will resign if they get the required number of signatures certified before the deadline

Agree - this is what I wrote another post...

This is a well-intentioned effort, but the consequences could be disastrous for the GOP... Think about voter fraud after this! Think about challenging some of the recall signatures against a GOP governor, senator, etc, and the cries of "racism, disenfranchisement, etc". We thought we've seen vote fraud in the past. It would be nothing compared to this. And it may extend beyond Cali, wherever there's recall provisions legislated... The other calamity would be the fact that we can't pin the lousy economy on the Dems... Right now they control everything. If a GOP governover takes over, it would be shared accountability. There's NO upside IMO.

[Congressman Billybob]

This writer does not begin to understand the subject she is writing about. She is deliberately avoiding the questions of how many signatures are "in the pipeline" and what is the validity rate of the signatures already turned in.

The validity rate is running at well above 80%. That means, under California's sampling law, if the proponents of recalling Davis file 1.08 million signatures, well short of the 1.2 million they have targeted, the recall goes on the ballot.

Compared to the couple hundred petition campaigns I am aware of, the Davis recall is at the top of the heap in efficiency, planning, organization and results. The normal rule of thumb on statewide campaigns is 30% shinkage between gross signatures filed and signatures that are validated. This campaign is running at less than 15% shrinkage.

1. This election will take place, in the fall.
2. Davis will be recalled -- either because he loses the election, or because he resigns before the election. At this point, under California law, it does NOT matter whether he resigns.
3. If Arnold enters the race, Arnold will win. In a short race that is winner-take-all, the candidate with the greatest name recognition will win. I predict that at least 24% of the voters who bother to vote will decide that California definitely needs a Terminator, and that will be the winning total.

Congressman Billybob

Latest column, now up FR, "Bits and Pieces."

[kellynla]

Disastrous for the GOP? Well it very well may be disastrous for the RINO's but the tax paying people of CA are going to start cleaning house in Sacramento and eliminate the waste, fraud and abuse that the GOP and the DIMITS have been piloting in this state for decades. And if the GOP doesn't wake up and smell the coffee, they may well get run over too!

[Congressman Billybob]

This will be the first gubernatorial recall effort in 32 that has even qualified for the ballot. Only the Democrat consultants are selling "the sky is falling" scenario -- recall Davis and then recalls will be a dime a dozen. Almost all recalls are like the "impeach Justice [INSERT NAME]" calls that crop up in Congress from time to time. None of those have ever gone anywhere.

Davis has higher negatives and less support than any other Governor in the history of California. It takes that kind of pathetic performance to fuel a successful recall. This is an extremely rare event. To see it as anything more than that is to buy the last ditch argument that Democrats are saying (but not believing) in an effort to save Davis' sorry tail.

Billybob

[eureka!]

Re#11 Yep. This is truly an historic event, albeit not the type of history that Grayout intended. Successful or not on the recall (and it will be), Davis' political career--and national aspirations-- will be over. This is a very good thing...

[kellynla]

If the Dimwit resigns. So be it. We have accomplished our goal and then we'll see whether the recall election goes through or not. The Dimwit has already stated that he will not resign. And State Senator McClintok has stated that it is too late to avoid the recall election even if the Dimwit resigns. But if the Lt. Gov. takes over then he will have a chance to turn things around. And if he fails then we will still have an opportunity to recall him or wait until 2006. No matter what the outcome, we are going to start holding this idiots responsible for their jobs. And if a few RINO's get clipped on the way too bad.

[gulfcoast6]

Let ole Davis stay in there, sure will make the democracts look bad, no terrible. One thing for sure, we won't be seeing him run for president for sure.

[NYC Republican]

And if a few RINO's get clipped on the way too bad.

Isn't that the only type of Republican left in California, at the state-wide level? Similar to NY? Are there really any conservatives that have a chance to win state-wide? In NY, it's a hopeless cause. Pataki is a moderate, not really a RINO IMO, but certainly not a conservative... Rick Lazio was our last best shot at it, and he got crushed by Hillary.

[kellynla]

The big enchillada is the 2010 election. Whoever is the governor in 2010, their party would control redistricting thus enhancing chances of picking up legislative and congressional seats after the 2010 census.

[LS]

I heard Roger Hedgecock on Rush last week say that they were at 800,000, then a caller called in and said they were at 900,000, and that they needed 1.2 mil just to be sure. Why the discrepancy?

[kellynla]

Chris Cox and Tom McClintok are far more conservative than anyone in NY my friend. And let's not forget that CA gave America Ronald Reagan. No, we have some very conservative Republicans in CA, we just have more lefties at the moment.

[kellynla]

The discrepancy is how many signatures have been acquired, how many have been turned in, how many have been received and finally how many have been verified.

[BullDog108]

1. This election will take place, in the fall.

2. Davis will be recalled -- either because he loses the election, or because he resigns before the election. At this point, under California law, it does NOT matter whether he resigns.

3. If Arnold enters the race, Arnold will win. In a short race that is winner-take-all, the candidate with the greatest name recognition will win. I predict that at least 24% of the voters who bother to vote will decide that California definitely needs a Terminator, and that will be the winning total.

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