San Benito County Supervisor Kollin Kosmicki will not face a recall election, at least for now. The campaign to remove the District 2 supervisor missed the deadline to submit enough valid signatures to qualify a special election, KSBW reported.
A petition drive under fire
The recall effort drew criticism in its final weeks over how signatures were collected. West Hollister resident Julie Roybal released front-door camera video of a signature gatherer who, she said, described the petition as a push to improve Highway 25. Roybal told SanBenito.com she read the document, saw it was a recall petition, refused to sign and told the woman she was misleading people.
"It was misleading because all of us are concerned about traffic, especially on Highway 25," Roybal told the paper. "When people hear that, they are going to sign without reading." She said she reported the encounter to Kosmicki and later gave a statement to a Hollister police officer. SanBenito.com noted that misrepresenting a petition is a misdemeanor under the California Elections Code.
A recall supporter, Stacie McGrady, told KSBW the exchange may have come down to a language barrier, saying the gatherer presented the petition "to the best of her ability."
What happens next
With the deadline passed, the current recall process is over and Kosmicki keeps his seat. The county elections office maintains a public page documenting the recall attempt and its filings. Any new attempt would have to start the petition process again.
The fight plays out as San Benito County voters already face a busy Nov. 3 ballot, including Hollister's mayoral race.