Recall election of San Luis major now seems inevitable

The recall petitions against San Luis, Ariz., Mayor Joe Harper and two city council members have been reviewed by county officials and must now clear what is considered a formality before a recall election can be called.

Cynthia Salcido, deputy clerk for San Luis, said the city received the petitions seeking the recall of Harper, Councilman Abraham Felix and Vice-Mayor Yolanda Chong last week and has until Friday evening to make sure there are enough signatures to force the election.

Both Harper and members of the group trying to recall him said there are enough signatures and each called the Friday deadline insignificant.

"It's just a matter of setting a date now," Harper said.

Susan Marler, Yuma County recorder, said her office spent the past few weeks verifying the signatures by matching them against the list of registered voters in San Luis to make sure only voters living in the city signed the petitions.

Salcido said the county recorder's office removed 36 signatures from the Harper petition, 48 from the Felix petition and 39 from the Chong packet but wouldn't say whether there were sufficient signatures remaining for a recall election.