Effort to recall Windsor Mayor Dominic Foppoli pronounced valid by town clerk

Paperwork required to launch a recall of Windsor Mayor Dominic Foppoli through a petition drive was refiled Thursday and accepted as valid, according to Town Clerk Maria De La O.

Foppoli, who has been publicly accused of sexual assault by seven women, has said he is innocent and refused to resign, despite widespread calls for him to leave office from town residents and elected officials.

Paperwork turned in Monday to the clerk’s office by United Residents for Recalling Foppoli failed to comply with the state elections code because it did not include Foppoli’s correct title, mayor at-large, a news release from the Town Clerk’s office said. The group had to start the process over.

On Thursday the clerk also verified the required 20 signatures from Windsor residents.

The campaign was required to again serve Foppoli with notice of the effort, something that can be done through certified mail.

Foppoli is the first mayor at-large elected by the town, as opposed to being appointed by the Town Council. He faces the possibility of being the first elected town official to be removed from office by voters.

Leaders of the campaign committee said earlier in the week that they hope to begin collecting signatures by early May.

Proponents of recalling Foppoli have 120 days to gather signatures from 20% of Windsor’s 16,879 registered voters. To force a recall election, the campaign will need 3,376 signatures, according to Sonoma County Registrar of Voters Deva Proto. By state law, election officials will have 30 days to verify the signatures after they are turned in.

You can reach Staff Writer Kathleen Coates at kathleen.coates@pressdemocrat.com.