Joel Engardio recall to turn in 11,000-odd signatures. Will it be enough?

The campaign to recall District 4 Supervisor Joel Engardio plans to submit over 11,000 signatures to the Department of Elections, exceeding the required 9,911 valid signatures for a ballot measure. Organizers collected around 14,000 raw signatures but face challenges with validation, particularly regarding name discrepancies that may arise during the verification process. The Department of Elections has a maximum of 60 business days to certify the sufficiency of the signatures. Engardio's political reputation is under scrutiny, as nearly two-thirds of his constituents opposed his sponsorship of Proposition K last year, which led to the permanent closure of part of the Upper Great Highway. If the random sampling indicates a validity rate of 90% or higher, the recall will qualify automatically.

However, a lower rate will necessitate a burdensome process of verifying each signature. Engardio, who has characterized the recall as costly and unwarranted, faces a contentious two-month qualification process ahead. The outcome will have significant implications for local governance and voter sentiment in San Francisco.