Ward changes taint recall petitions

Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2000 | 10:35 a.m.

The last week of a recall petition drive against Las Vegas Councilman Michael McDonald was supposed to be used to get a cushion of signatures to ward off any legal challenges.

But as recall proponents Monday began verifying signatures on their many petitions against registered voter lists, they realized that about 1,000 people who signed don't live in Ward 1 anymore.

The problem is related to a 1999 boundary change that created two new wards in the city of Las Vegas. Many residents signed the petition thinking they still lived in Ward 1, according to recall organizer Russ Driver.

Most of the errant signatures were obtained by canvassers who stood in front of supermarkets and retail stores. Those petitioners only asked residents if they were registered to vote in Ward 1, and did not have voter registration lists with them.

Now the recall committee will stage a door-to-door effort using current Clark County Registrar of Voters lists.

The committee has about 2,000 signatures and needs 2,995 by Monday to force a special election.