NEW ORLEANS — The process to certify signatures on the petition to recall New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell will continue on Monday, even as the number of signatures required to force a recall remains an uncertain target.
On Monday, Orleans Civil District Court Judge Jennifer Medley will hear arguments filed by the NOLATOYA.org group which is accusing the state of not updating the number of registered voters in New Orleans. Recall organizers claim that the local registrar of voters has not kept an accurate list of active voters in the parish.
According to state law, the recall petition must gather signatures of 20 percent of registered, active voters in a parish to be considered valid. Initially, organizers sought over 52,000 signatures, based on state figures showing more than 264,000 registered voters. But research led to the target being lowered to somewhere between 49,000 and 50,000 because some of the voters are deemed inactive for reasons such as not having voted in multiple elections.
Recall organizers have gone to court to have the number lowered even further. They say the Orleans Parish voter registrar has failed to cull hundreds of dead voters from the active rolls — and close to 30,000 people who have moved from the city. That could lower the threshold by around 6,000 voters.
The registrar has 20 days to certify signatures and then, if enough are verified, send it to Gov. John Bel Edwards. Edwards would have 15 days to set an election. It's possible a recall could go on the state's April 29 ballot. But, there are numerous unknowns — including how many signatures will or won't be deemed legitimate, and any legal challenges Cantrell might make.
Cantrell, who was first elected in 2018, won re-election easily in a low-turnout contest in November 2021, when she received 48,750 votes.
Her second term has been plagued by myriad problems — among them stubborn violent crime, fitful progress on major street projects that have left some city streets a mess and unreliable garbage collection. Questions also have been raised about her personal use of a city-owned apartment.
The mayor has said crime is a nationwide problem that took hold during the COVID-19 pandemic. And administration officials have said they're taking steps to improve the street and garbage issues.
Cantrell supporters, early in the recall drive, cast it as an attempt by Republicans to attack a Black woman mayor and Democrat. However, Carter is a prominent Democrat and she stressed that support for the drive has been bipartisan and multiracial.
FAQ about the Recall Certification
On Monday, the Orleans Parish Registrar of Voters released clarification about the certification process and the next steps since the signed and dated recall petition had been filed.
Can I remove or add my name to the recall petition?
Yes, the Registrar’s Office shall honor the written request of any voter who either desires to have the voter’s handwritten signature either stricken or removed from the recall petition or to have the voter’s handwritten signature added to the recall petition. The deadline to either remove or add a handwritten signature is Monday, February 27, 2023 at 4:30 p.m.
What does the Registrar’s Office do as part of the certification process?
The Registrar’s Office certifies the following things: (1) the number of names appearing on the recall petition; (2) the number of qualified electors in Orleans Parish whose handwritten signatures appear on the recall petition; (3) the total number of electors of the voting area within Orleans Parish as of August 26, 2022, which is the date the recall petition was filed for the Mayor of New Orleans.
What does the Registrar’s Office do after the certification process is complete?
Immediately after the recall petition is certified by the Registrar’s Office, a copy of the recall petition with the handwritten signatures shall be made by the Registrar of Voters and the original recall petition with the handwritten signatures is sent to the Governor for the State of Louisiana.
Does the Registrar’s Office declare the results of the certification process when the certification process is complete?
No. If the required number of qualified electors of Orleans Parish sign the recall petition, then the Governor for the State of Louisiana shall issue a proclamation ordering that an election be held for the purpose of voting on the question of the recall of the Mayor.
Is the Mayor automatically removed from public office?
No. An election will then be held in which the voters in Orleans Parish will determine whether the Mayor is removed from office.
► Get breaking news from your neighborhood delivered directly to you by downloading the new FREE WWL-TV News app now in the IOS App Store or Google Play.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.