Retired poker pro Doug Polk’s efforts to recall Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman may have to wait until it’s safe to resume the petition drive. Polk is trying to gather 6,745 signatures from voters to force a recall election.
Reason for the Recall
Ironically, the same reason for the mayor’s recall petition is the same one that may save her: the pandemic. The reason retired poker pro Doug Polk launched his recall campaign against Mayor Goodman was due to her response to the coronavirus. She opposed Gov. Steve Sisolak’s order to shut down casinos, saying it was “total insanity.”
During an interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper, the 81-year-old mayor said she wanted to offer Las Vegas as a “control group” to see what would happen if the casinos did not shut down during the pandemic.
This spurred Polk’s recall efforts, based on his desire for a mayor who looks after Sin Citizens first – not just big business. Polk stated that Goodman lacks the leadership qualities needed in a time of crisis.
“While I am disappointed, I stand by my reason for the recall: That the citizens of Las Vegas deserve better than to be a control group in Carolyn Goodman’s experiment,” Polk said.
Saved by the Bug?
The required petition signatures for a recall need to be obtained in person, which during a pandemic is nearly impossible. Gathering signatures via mail-in campaigns did not meet legal requirements.
The only other option was to obtain signatures in person, going door to door or in open events. And in the age of COVID-19, this was simply not in the cards. Another barrier to Polk’s recall efforts is the number of recall petition signatures needed. While 6,745 signatures may not seem like a lot, these voters must have participated in the mayoral election that Goodman won.
The U.S. currently has the highest coronavirus numbers in the world, and the pandemic is far from over. As Las Vegas casinos recently reopened to much fanfare, it was soon discovered that rigorous safety measures needed to be enforced.
Meanwhile, Polk hopes to revive his recall efforts in time for the November general election.
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