Gates recall group tries new maneuver

After a second failed attempt to recall Clark County Commission Chairwoman Yvonne Atkinson Gates, the group behind the recall has appealed to Secretary of State Dean Heller to combine valid signatures from the two petition efforts.

Charles Bennion, president of the Citizens for Honest and Responsible Government, said the group plans to appeal on the grounds that the 60-day time limitation required for gaining petition signatures is not found in the state constitution.

"We believe our constitutional recall has been seriously infringed by time limitations," Bennion said.

The sample count of 500 random signatures from the total 4,742 signatures collected to unseat the commissioner found 100 to be invalid Friday.

According to a report by Clark County Registrar of Voters Kathryn Ferguson, 45 signers were not registered voters, 46 did not live in Atkinson Gates' district, seven signatures did not match those on voter registration cards and one person signed twice.

In the first recall effort, fueled by the commissioner's ethics laws violations earlier this year, the group turned in 7,474 signatures. Of 500 examined, only 259 were valid.

Efforts to reach Gates Monday were not successful.

"I think the law is pretty clear," said Gates' fellow commissioner, Myrna Williams. "The secretary of state is following the law, that's it. The important thing is that her district supports her."

Williams added there has not been a sufficient number of signatures for the recall in Gates' district, which shows support for the beleaguered commissioner.

Bennion said that by combining the valid signatures from the first and second petitions, and removing duplicates, there are more than 5,200 signatures. Only 4,380 are needed.

"We know we have support," Bennion added. "The only thing that restrains us is the 60-day time limit."

The group began the recall effort after Atkinson Gates was reprimanded by the state Ethics Commission for her involvement in selecting concessionaires for McCarran International Airport's D Gates.

Staff writer Ed Koch contributed to this report.

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