Group seeking Dunleavy recall submits signatures

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – The Latest on a recall effort aimed at Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy (all times local):

1 p.m.

The group pursuing a recall of Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy has submitted signatures to state elections officials as part of an initial phase of their effort.

The Recall Dunleavy group needed 28,501 signatures as part of its application. It says it collected about 49,000.

The group previously said it had gathered more than the threshold needed but wanted to collect through the recently ended state fair to compensate for any signatures that may be disqualified.

The Division of Elections says it will begin the signature verification process and ask the Department of Law for an opinion on whether the grounds for recall listed in the application meet legal requirements. The division says it’s aiming to complete this in 60 days.

If the application is certified, it would trigger additional signature gathering.

—

12:05 p.m.

The state Division of Elections is aiming to decide within 60 days after receiving an initial round of signatures whether to allow a recall effort against Gov. Mike Dunleavy to proceed.

The Recall Dunleavy campaign planned to submit the signatures Thursday.

The division, in a release, says it would begin the signature verification process and request a legal opinion from the Department of Law to determine whether the grounds for recall listed in the application meet legal requirements. It says there is no deadline in law for reviewing the application but that it is requesting the legal review be done in 60 days.

If the application is certified, it would trigger another round of signature gathering.

—

4:05 a.m.

The group pursuing a recall of Alaska Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy plans to submit signatures Thursday as part of an initial phase of its push.

The Recall Dunleavy group last month said it had surpassed an initial 28,501 signatures needed but planned to collect signatures through the recently ended state fair to compensate for any that could be disqualified.

The group plans to submit the signatures to the Division of Elections in Anchorage.

If the application is certified, it would trigger another signature-gathering phase, with supporters needing 71,252 signatures in a bid to try to put the issue to voters.

The group, among other things, accuses Dunleavy of separation of powers violations and violating state law by not appointing a judge within a statutory timeframe.

Dunleavy took office in December.

AP-WF-09-05-19 2106GMT