Sacramento Bee July 1st, 2003
In a letter released late in the day, the [California]
secretary of state's office told elections supervisors in
all 58 counties that while they must keep a continuous count
of signatures submitted in support of the recall, they can
wait a month before validating those signatures.
Some recall supporters threatened to sue, saying Secretary of
State Kevin Shelley's interpretation is misguided and could
delay until March an election that recall supporters hope to
hold by late October or early November. A March election could
give the Democratic governor the political advantage of a higher
Democratic turnout expected for the presidential primary.
"A judicial clarification appears to be required," said James
Sweeney, a lawyer for the Recall Gray Davis Committee, one of
three groups trying to remove Davis.
"It's our view that the constitution requires a continuous count
and validation and that it does so to prevent politically motivated
officials from derailing, slowing down or stalling the certification
of a recall petition."
full article at:
http://www.sacbee.com/content/politics/ca/story/6955554p-7904695c.html