(PUEBLO, Colo.) — A petition to recall Pueblo Mayor Heather Graham has fallen short of the needed signatures.
According to the organizers behind the recall effort, 3,046 signatures were gathered of the 6,300 needed to submit their petition.
“We may not have reached our goal, but don’t worry, we still think this was tremendously successful for the community,” the recall effort said in a social media post.
The petition was introduced in March, with those backing the recall arguing that Mayor Graham was unfit for the Office of the Mayor due to numerous failures and omissions on the Mayor’s part.
The petition alleged numerous failures and omissions on the Mayor’s part, including stripping funding from nonprofits, retaliation against opposition using police and fire department staff, and allowing illegal ordinances to be proposed, causing costly legal consequences for the city. The petition also claimed Graham spent “extensive time on social media… during council meetings.”
Mayor Graham issued a statement in response to the recall:
From the very beginning of this recall election petition effort, I have repeatedly told the public that I believe this effort is laughable. The 11 accusations outlined on the petition do not even include issues that are directly linked to the responsibility of the Mayor. Then as the 60 days to gather signatures has continued, we have seen the petitioners falsely coerce people to sign to stop the “Graham Grocery Tax,” which isn’t even a real ballot initiative or tax in effect.
What these petitioners fail to realize is how municipal government even operates in the first place—let alone my role as Mayor. Criticism is welcome and I fully understand that I will not make all citizens happy, however I have continued to make good on my campaign promises which include addressing crime and making this community safer, beautifying Pueblo and increasing economic development.
At 15 months into my term, I can confidently say I am still fully committed to these three principles. I believe our community will thrive as a result of the hard work of our employees, commitment to our citizens and our improvement that will be seen for years to come. I remain committed as the Mayor of Pueblo no matter the circumstances, a recall attempt will not affect my focus on the citizens and the future of Pueblo.
Pueblo Mayor Heather Graham
Organizers behind the petition said even though they did not gather the needed signatures, another attempt can always be made in the future.
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