“Boots” Martinez to Challenge Petition Signatures Rejection in Court

Former Port Loyola Area Representative Anthony “Boots” Martinez says we will be challenging his rejected Gilroy Usher recall petition in court. We have been following the story for weeks now. After Martinez gathered and submitted signatures on a petition to recall the current area representatives, the Elections and Boundaries Department determined that his petition did not meet the required number of approved signatures needed. Martinez, through his attorney, Richard Dickie Bradley, wrote back to the Chief Elections Officer challenging one hundred and seventy-five rejected signatures. He challenged Josephine Tamai to take further steps to verify those signatures, as they would be enough to trigger a recall process. Well, Tamai has since written back to Martinez’s attorney, saying that she is not empowered by law to redo the exercise. Tamai further noted that she is not required by law to undergo any additional exercise, such as using a justice of the peace to verify the signature. Martinez says he takes offense to the Chief Elections Officer’s response.

 

Anthony “Boots” Martinez, Former Port Loyola Area Rep.

“First offense I take to that, as you all have a copy of the letter, nothing was asked to redo any exercise. What was asked was to do your job as to verify the signature as the law stipulates. WE never mih the ask elections and boundaries to redo no exercise, we the say do your job and verify the petition. I don’t know if the chief elections officer is suffering from foot in mouth syndrome based on her letter to the governor general and based on her letter here, her response here. How letter to the governor general said, all signatures on the petition have been duly verified against the elections and boundaries department record of registered electors for Port Loyola electoral division. No way in the law talks about where you should verify from. The law talks about you must verify. The short title to the. Nobody the ask you for no help Ms. Tamai. We the ask you to do your job. The law says you must verify the signature, verify got a meaning. Then you the talk about noting in the law say, you say further more I am advised the act does not require the Chief Elections and Boundaries officer to undergo any exercise by using a Justice of Peace to verify the signature.”