Court Backs Fast Count for Calif. Governor Recall
Fri July 18, 2003 08:13 PM ET
By Adam Tanner
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - An appeals court backed opponents of Governor Gray Davis on Friday in demanding a rapid count to determine whether the unpopular Democrat will face an unprecedented recall election this autumn.
If upheld, the decision means that the state's voters could learn as early as next week whether Davis will become the first California governor to face a recall vote. The ballot, which would offer a list of replacement candidates simultaneously, could take place as early as September.
The Republican-backed recall effort claims to have gathered more than 1.6 million signatures since March, nearly double the number required.
California's Secretary of State Kevin Shelley, who oversees election-related matters, had given local officials the option of a delay of up to 30 days as they verify signatures. The Court of Appeals for California's 3rd District ruled on Friday, however, that such a delay was unjustified.
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http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=3118742