Delgado Dad Shreds Recall Sign as Effort Rolls On

Recall Effort Continues Chugging Forward

COACHELLLA — An effort to recall City Councilmembers Denise Delgado and Yadira Perez remains active and shows no signs of slowing, although any recall election will be held after the Nov.3 election, which could significantly shift the dynamic.

The City Clerk’s office notified the recall proponents, Jesus “Kino” Gonzalez and Vicente Zamora on July 20 and July 23, respectively, that they had completed the preliminary steps required by the Elections Code and that the City had approved each recall petition as to form in compliance with the Elections Code.   As of those dates, the oponents could begin circulating each petition in an effort to secure Coachella voter signatures supporting the recalls.

Adding to the intrigue is Delgado and Gonzalez are both running for mayor. Zamora is running for City Council.

Under the Elections Code, the proponents have until Saturday, Nov. 17 to file a complete signed petition with this Office for the Delgado recall effort and until Nov. 20 for the Perez recall effort (120 calendar days after City approval of each petition as to format).

To that end, the two men have wasted no daylight gathering signatures and erecting recall signs, apparently upsetting Delgado’s father to the pinot that he started pulling them down.

California Penal Code section 594 makes it a crime to damage, destroy, or deface signs, according to Sgt, Robert Martinez, public information officer for the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office.

Penalties generally depend on the amount of damage: anything valued at $400 or more can be charged as a felony, while anything under $400 is generally a misdemeanor.

Under the Elections Code, each petition must contain the signatures of at least 20% of the City’s registered voters to qualify a recall and be confirmed by the Registrar of Voters.

No problem, proponents maintain.