Recall efforts against Alvarez fail

DOWNEY – The campaign to recall Downey Councilwoman Catherine Alvarez failed to collect the number of verified signatures needed to bring it to ballot, though organizers said they intend to appeal the count.

To have been successful, 3,454 signatures – or 20% of registered voters in District 3 – would have been needed to be collected and verified by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder’s Office.

Recall volunteers submitted 4,016 signatures on Jan. 4, believing they had enough of a buffer for success. However, the final tally came up 35 shy, with only 3,419 approved signatures.

Alvarez was elected in November 2020 and was later criticized for not disclosing her criminal record before the election.

Despite its failure, representatives of the recall have made it clear that they intend to continue to pursue the councilwoman’s removal.

“While disappointing, the fact that only an additional 35 signatures were needed is huge. People in her district want Catherine Alvarez out of office! Over 4,000 signatures were collected. It speaks volumes and encourages our team of volunteers to keep on going and never give up,” recall proponents said in a statement to the Downey Patriot.

“This only confirmed what we thought, that Downey residents are not happy having somebody with a criminal record like Catherine Alvarez representing them at City Hall. With her welfare fraud conviction, ban from Michael’s in Downey Landing for shoplifting and troubled history of harassment and intimidation at people’s homes late at night, we are determined to maintain the momentum.

“Since we were only 35 votes short (from over 4,000) we will appeal the verification of signatures and move forward. Our grassroots effort was slow in late 2021 due to the holidays, weather, COVID and will now be able to dedicate our efforts to regroup and proceed to gather the additional signatures needed. Downey residents in her district are frustrated. They now know the facts about who she is and her criminal record. It will be easier and faster now to build support from the community and to collect more signatures.

“Our commitment to Downey residents is to let them decide after knowing about her criminal past. We deserve an honest and ethical council person and we know our residents want the same. We won’t stop.”