California struggles to count signatures

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. -- The campaign to recall Democratic Gov. Gray Davis has put a huge burden on election officials in California's 58 counties, who have the task of counting and verifying the more than 1.6 million signatures gathered.

Faced with the work of sorting through stacks of petitions, some counties have canceled vacations, diverted employees from other divisions, hired temporary workers and asked employees to work overtime.

"It's an awful lot of work," said Scott Konopasek, San Bernardino County registrar of voters.

The extra duties come as counties are already struggling with budget deficits.

The counties have until Wednesday to report their totals to the secretary of state, who will announce on Thursday whether enough valid signatures have been collected to hold a recall election this fall.

Meanwhile, a pro-Davis group asked an appeals court Monday to stop the secretary of state from acting. Taxpayers Against the Governor's Recall wants a hearing on its allegations of illegal signature-gathering.

Davis has come under fire over the state's energy crisis, a $38 billion budget deficit and the prospect of higher taxes and fees. Republican Rep. Darrell Issa has spent $1.71 million of his car alarm fortune to bankroll the campaign and get himself elected in Davis' place.

Counties verify signatures by randomly checking 3 percent of them against voter rolls.

If the totals they report Wednesday indicate the recall has collected more than 110 percent of the 897,158 valid signatures required, Shelley will declare that the recall will be on the ballot. Officials have discussed Sept. 30 or Oct. 7 as possible election dates.

A special election would create still more unexpected work for counties that were not planning to hold a fall election this year.

Then there is the cost. Shelley has estimated the price tag for a special election at $30 million to $35 million, the bulk of that borne by counties.

Sacramento County could spend upward of $3 million on a special election. Fresno County officials estimate they would spend $1.4 million.

"Obviously, this has not been a budgeted item," said San Mateo County elections manager David Tom. "With anything unforeseen I'll have to go back to the county and ask for money. And whether the county has money or not is another issue."