All four Republican state Senators being targeted for recall elections filed challenges Thursday to petition signatures they said were invalid.
Organizers of the recall effort now have five days to rebut the challenges, followed by a two-day period in which the officeholders can reply to those challenges. The Government Accountability Board, which is responsible for overseeing the recall efforts, will then use the rebuttals and replies to decide whether or not enough valid signatures were gathered to trigger recall elections. They have until March 19 to make decisions.
Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, said he found more than 4,300 signatures Thursday that contained a "wide range of irregularities, errors and outright falsehoods." The Board must conclude that about 3,860 of the signatures filed against him are illegitimate.
"The ‘recallers' are trying to undo the will of more than 44,000 voters in 2010, so the least they can do is follow the rules and be honest with their signatures," Fitzgerald said.
Sen. Pam Galloway of Chippewa Falls also issued a statement following Thursday's deadline. She challenged "hundreds of questionable signatures." Around 5,350 signatures would need to be deemed invalid to cancel her recall election.
The other two Senators, Van Wanggaard of Racine and Terry Moulton of Chippewa Falls, have not yet said how many challenges they submitted to the board. Wanggaard would need to successfully contest around 8,650 petitions and Moulton around 6,050.
Election officials recently said the board would not accept input from anyone besides the leaders of the recall effort and targeted officeholders.
