Signature gathering for the campaign to recall Gov. Mike Dunleavy is about to begin.
The Alaska Division of Elections on Friday delivered the booklets that Recall Dunleavy organizers will use. The organizers received the booklets at the division’s Anchorage office. They have said they’ll mail them around the state on Saturday.
The campaign must gather 71,252 signatures to hold the recall election. The recall organizers gathered 46,405 valid signatures over five weeks to apply for the recall. But to get the recall on the ballot, they’ll have to start from zero.
Recall organizers have said they want to hold the election as soon as possible. To ensure a special election before the Aug. 18 primary, they must submit the petition before April 20.
Recall kickoff events are scheduled for Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau next weekend.
The recall could still be stopped if the Alaska Supreme Court overrules a Superior Court decision that allowed the petition to move forward. Oral arguments in the case are scheduled for March 25.
Andrew Kitchenman is the state government and politics reporter for Alaska Public Media and KTOO in Juneau. Reach him at akitchenman@alaskapublic.org.
