As the recall effort against Kamloops-North Thompson MLA Terry Lake heads into the final stretch, its steam appears to be evaporating.
After seven weeks and with one more left in the campaign, organizers have gathered 8,900 signatures through Sunday, March 27.
That’s still about 7,000 short of a successful recall.
After the provincial government announced it would be moving up the harmonized sales tax referendum to June 24, the local campaign had its poorest showing, collecting fewer than 1,000 signatures for the first time.
“It looks like people are willing to wait three months,” said recall organizer Chad Moats, suggesting the impending referendum has slowed the campaign.
In Kamloops-North Thompson, registered canvassers have 60 days, until April 4, to obtain the signatures of at least 15,299 registered voters, 40 per cent of the 38,246 voters registered to vote in the last provincial election.
The campaign needed to obtain an average of about 2,000 signatures each week to succeed.
Despite coming up short of its goal, Moats said he has no regrets about heading the recall effort, saying it’s still sending a message to Victoria about how voters in the riding are feel about HST.
Moats said the campaign’s final days will focus on hitting the 10,000-mark in signatures – more than the number of people who voted for Lake in the last provincial election.
The MLA received 9,800 votes in 2009.
Once the recall has ended, Elections BC has 42 days from the date the petition is submitted to verify those who signed the document were entitled to do so.
– from Kamloops This Week
