Official Filing of Recall Petitions Challenged in Court

–Judge Rules in Favor of Plaintiff-

-Recall Election Will Not be Called-

KINGMAN, Ariz. – The City of Kingman City Clerk and Mohave County Recorder appeared in Mohave County Superior Court Wednesday morning as defendants in an action challenging the recall petitions filed against Mayor Jen Miles. The Mohave County Superior Court found in favor of the plaintiff; therefore, no recall election will be called. The special meeting slated for Tuesday, March 23, 2021, has also been canceled, in light of the court’s decision. The regularly scheduled City Council meeting will take place Tuesday, March 23, 2021 at 5:00 p.m.

Background

On September 14, 2020, Mr. James Coffman applied for a recall request for Kingman Mayor Jen Miles. On Monday, January 11, 2021, recall petitions were submitted to the Mohave County Recorder’s Office regarding the application, “2020REC001- Mayor Miles.”

The initial receipt provided by Mr. Coffman indicated that he submitted 148 petition sheets with 2,367 unverified signatures. After further review, it was determined that the actual number of submitted petitions was 168 sheets with 2,367 unverified signatures; 1384 is the number of verified signatures required to authorize this recall election.

Upon completion of the initial review per A.R.S. § 19-121.01(A), the Kingman City Clerk’s office transmitted the petitions to the Mohave County Recorder Kristi Blair’s office for verification of 164 petition sheets with 2,287 unverified signatures. The recorder’s office had 60 days to verify signatures Once the petition sheets were returned to the Kingman City Clerk’s office with the results of sufficient signatures, the final determination was made to proceed with the official filing of the recall.

On March 2, 2021, the Mohave County Recorder’s Office certified the filing of the recall petitions against Mayor Jen Miles, which contains 1,512 valid signatures. Pursuant to A.R.S. § 19-208.03, Kingman City Clerk Annie Meredith certified the filing March 4, 2021. This number of signatures equals or exceeds the minimum number required by the Arizona State Constitution and no more signatures need be checked. Any elector had until March 14, 2021, to challenge the signatures certified by the County Recorder in Superior Court.

For questions regarding the Kingman City Clerk’s process, please call (928) 753-8102. For questions regarding the Mohave County Recorder’s process, please call (928) 753-0701.

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