Signatures On Recall Petitions For Mayor, City Reps Certified

The recall petitions for Mayor John Cook and City Reps. Susie Byrd and Steve Ortega have been certified. That means there are enough signatures from registered voters in their district to trigger a recall election. This would be the first recall election held in the city of El Paso.

Municipal Clerk Richarda Momsen said 6,121 signatures were needed to hold a recall election for the mayor, and 9,556 signatures were certified. For Ortega, 655 signatures were needed and 755 were certified. For Byrd, 668 signatures were needed and 744 were certified.

The group “El Pasoans for Traditional Family Values” wants the three city officials out of office after they voted to rescind an ordinance that had been approved by a majority of voters back in November.

The ordinance was supposed to deny benefits to domestic partners of city employees, but it was so vague city officials said said it would have denied benefits to nearly 200 other city employees and council voted to rescind it.

Stay with ABC-7 for reaction to the announcement.