In a July 22 letter to recall organizer/leader Franklin Sims, City Clerk Monique De La Garza says pursuant to Elections Code Section 11220 (a)(4), "a recall petition shall be submitted to the Office of the City Clerk not later than 160 days from July 22, 2020" and therefore "the petition shall be filed no later than the close of business (4:30 p.m.) on Tuesday, December 29, 2020."

The City Clerk notes that under Elections Code Section 11221 (a)(5), "not less than 10% of the registered voters in the City of Long Beach must sign the petition" and "the number of signatures required to accept the recall petition approved for circulation is 26,503."

That's 26,503 valid signatures of LB registered voters within 160 days (an average of 165 valid signatures collected each day.) LBREPORT.com notes that because not all signatures collected will be deemed valid (some names/addresses may not match recent voter registration), recall proponents typically aim for a higher number than the required minimum; at an optimistic 80% validity rate, than would mean a little over 33,000 signatures, averaging 206 signatures per day. (And one day (yesterday) has already elapsed.)

Recall organizer Sims is undeterred. He already has a website up at www.moveourcity.org and he's anticpated the impacts of COVID-19.

[Scroll down for further.]

In a release Mr. Sims writes, "Because of social distancing restrictions posed by Covid 19 anyone who wants to safely sign the petition or volunteer to gather signatures from family or friends can go to our website and request the petition be delivered, touch free, to their doorstep. Also on our website outdoor locations and times will be posted on an ongoing basis."

The release says "the first day to sign the petition is Sunday July 26th at 1pm at City Hall where we will be celebrating the birthday of ‘Robby’s Recall’. Join us for a fun filled Birthday party celebration of our petition to recall Mayor Garcia."

Sponsor

Sponsor

In the release, Mr. Sims writes:

"So many of us were so heartbroken at the Mayor's immoral leadership following the murder of George Floyd that today feels like the beginning of hope after weeks of struggle, harassment and disappointment. Week after week our supporters struggled peacefully with the forces at City Hall for permission to exercise our Constitutional right against Mayor Garcia. Now that we have the City Clerk’s blessing we will fight to end the curse of injustices our Mayor has led."

The real power of a recall goes beyond what a proponent says; those signing the petition may have any number of reasons why they favor a recall vote on removing Garcia.

Sponsor

Sponsor

To date, Garcia has avoided serious challenge to his record as Mayor. His annual "State of the City" messages go unchallenged by Council incumbents (there is no meaningful check-and-balance "loyal opposition" on the current City Council.) Unlike other major market Mayors, Garcia doesn't hold open news conferences (where he might be asked anything), preferring (like President Trump) to offer statements on social network channels he controls or in City Hall releases he approves. Coupled with credulous or deferential press media coverage elsewhere, the result has been a seeming echo chamber of support for him.

The recall breaks through that local political code of silence, enabling residents with a petition signature to signal dissatisfaction with Garcia on any number of grounds, putting Garcia on-defense for the first time since taking office as Mayor in mid-2014.

Sponsor

In the 2018 election cycle, Garcia persuaded a serious contender, Robert Fox, not to file paperwork to enter the race against him. (Garcia promised, and did, hold meetings with residents in each Council district to hear their views (with no commitment) on city staff's controversial then-proposed revisions to LB's Land Use Element. (Mr. Fox is now the Reform Ticket candidate in a November runoff in LB's 2nd Council district seat. He faces Cindy Allen, who's endorsed by Garcia, multiple incumbents and the LB Police Officers Association PAC. .

Sponsor

Sponsor

Support really independent news in Long Beach. No one in LBREPORT.com's ownership, reporting or editorial decision-making has ties to development interests, advocacy groups or other special interests; or is seeking or receiving benefits of City development-related decisions; or holds a City Hall appointive position; or has contributed sums to political campaigns for Long Beach incumbents or challengers. LBREPORT.com isn't part of an out of town corporate cluster and no one its ownership, editorial or publishing decisionmaking has been part of the governing board of any City government body or other entity on whose policies we report. LBREPORT.com is reader and advertiser supported. You can help keep really independent news in LB similar to the way people support NPR and PBS stations. We're not non-profit so it's not tax deductible but $49.95 (less than an annual dollar a week) helps keep us online.