NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Organizers of the NOLAToya recall efforts say enough people have signed the petition to start the process for a recall election against the mayor.
“We are confident we have enough signatures to hand in the petition on Wednesday. We urge residents who are on the fence to sign and help build a cushion,” said organizer Eileen Carter.
The group reported they have collected more than the 49,000 signatures to move forward with the efforts.
The recall effort began in August and must turn in the signatures to the Registrar of Voters on Ash Wednesday. Less than a week ago, the group announced that it was about 1,000 signatures short. Organizers planned as many as a dozen events in the final days to get the numbers needed.
Some of the events were scheduled at parade routes or other places that may also attract people who live outside the city but also sign the petition hoping to help support the effort.
If the effort is successful, it would be the first one under new recall rules that were approved by the state legislature in 2018. The new rules allow for the recall effort to proceed if New Orleans gets 20% of its registered voters to sign. The previous rule required one-third to sign.
Organizers of the effort also say they want to have a cushion when they submit the signatures because many will likely be unverifiable for reasons like residency.
