New Jersey judge says recall signatures must be re-counted

July 21, 2009

Bill Davenport (left) and Ernie Troiano (right)

Cape May, New Jersey: On July l7, Superior Court Judge Raymond Batten ruled that City Clerk Chris Wood had improperly invalidated signatures in the matter of the Ernie Troiano and Bill Davenport recall.

Judge Batten also noted that:

• Wood told the recall committee in December 2008 that they'd need 615 signatures on each recall petition. After the signatures were collected and filed, Wood said that the recall group really needed 697 signatures on each petition. The judge said that he is powerless to retroactively change that higher number.
• Evidence challenging the status of any rejected or reinstated signatures can be provided at hearings that will begin Monday, August 3.
• Final counts will not be available until after that hearing.

See also

*Ernie Troiano and Bill Davenport recall, Wildwood, New Jersey, 2009