State: DMV wrong to make petitioners leave

Thursday, Sept. 18, 2003 | 11:24 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The state Department of Motor Vehicles was wrong in stopping supporters of a drive to recall Gov. Kenny Guinn from gathering petition signatures at one of its Las Vegas offices, the Secretary of State's office said today.

Renee Parker, chief deputy secretary of state, said an investigation found that six volunteers were threatened with arrest if they did not leave the premises at the East Sahara Avenue office on Sept. 8. She said her office determined "that DMV failed to designate and make available a reasonable area for the committee to gather signatures on their petition," that is required by law

Tom Jacobs, public information officer for the department, said it received the decision at closing time Wednesday night and is studying its impact. He said the Nevada Highway Patrol was called only after the committee members blocked the entrance and impeded the public from entering the office.

Christopher Hansen, who lodged the complaint with the secretary of state's office, said he was pleased with the decision. He said he was happy with the speed with which Heller's office conducted its investigation and reached its conclusion.

"We are very sorry that the DMV violated the law and cost our recall movement so much time and money that cannot be recouped," Hansen said. He added that he has filed a complaint that his volunteers have not been provided adequate space at the Clark County building on Grand Central Parkway.

Hansen said he did not know how many signatures have been gathered in the effort to collect 128,000 to force a recall of the governor. The petition is due Nov. 25.

Parker said that the confrontation between the recall drive and the DMV was not motivated by a desire to protect Guinn. She said the office found "no evidence that DMV applied its policy or designated areas for use by signature gatherers based on the message or the content of the petition."

The secretary of state's office, which is responsible for enforcing election laws, also rejected Hansen's claim that the recall volunteers were denied access at the Henderson office as well.