West recall would take a separate election

Supporters of the proposed recall of Spokane Mayor Jim West don’t have enough time to get that issue on the Nov. 8 general election ballot, the county’s chief election official said Wednesday.

The amount of time needed to verify some 12,600 signatures, coupled with state laws for notification and scheduling an election, means the county Elections Office would have to get signed recall petitions no later than Aug. 19, County Auditor Vicky Dalton said.

But supporters can’t even begin gathering signatures until the state Supreme Court rules on West’s appeal of the recall petition’s ballot synopsis. That hearing is scheduled for Aug. 24.

Even if the high court denies the appeal the day of the hearing and recall supporters get petitions printed and begin circulating them the next day, there would not be enough time to collect and verify the signatures before Sept. 23, which is the deadline for issues that will go on the general election ballot, Dalton said.

“There’s no way they’re going to be able to do it,” she said.

Possibly, Dalton said, the recall – if it goes forward – will have to be settled during a separate election, at city expense.

Normally it would take about two weeks to verify signatures, but with responsibilities the Elections Office has for the Sept. 20 primary, it will take about four weeks, Dalton said.

Recall petition author Shannon Sullivan said she and the recall lawyers are researching statutes to see if Dalton is correctly interpreting what happens when election workers must manage an election and certify a recall.

“They’re very unclear, and we’ve gotten differing opinions,” Sullivan said.

But if Dalton is correct about the timing, Sullivan said she’s not worried.

“I have no problem if it hits the November ballot or not,” she said. “It matters to me that the people get a voice, whatever that day is.”

West, who is accused of sexual molestation and abuse of public office, would face a recall election on an allegation that he “used his elected office for personal benefit” if he loses his appeal and recall supporters gather enough valid signatures from city voters on their petitions.

However long it takes to collect signatures on the recall, state law says that all parties – West, city officials and recall sponsors – must receive a five-day notice before verification of signatures begins. Dalton said it’s merely a matter of looking at the calendar and adding those five days to the four weeks she believes it will take to verify signatures, and moving backwards from the Sept. 23 deadline.

Recall supporters have nearly six months to gather their signatures. But if they collect enough signatures to certify the recall for a ballot, state law says the election must be held at least 45 days – but no more than 60 days – after certification.

Sept. 23 is 45 days before the general election, so even if it were certified after that date but before the ballots are printed, Dalton said she can’t just stick it on the ballot.

She will have to schedule a separate election within that 15-day window for the recall, which would cost the city between $140,000 and $160,000 if it was conducted strictly by mail, and “a bit more” if conducted with mail and poll site voting.

“The city has no say in this. All they get to do is pay the bill,” she said.