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Clearing the threshold by just nine signatures, the group seeking to oust Supervisor Ignacio Velazquez has gathered enough valid signatures to trigger a recall election.
San Benito County Clerk-Recorder and Registrar of Voters Francisco Diaz announced on Nov. 3 that 1,842 of the 2,256 signatures submitted by the group calling itself Safer San Benito were verified and deemed valid. The group needed at least 1,833 signatures from registered voters in Velazquez’s District 5, which stretches across north county between Hwys 25 and 156, including downtown Hollister and the municipal airport.
According to Diaz’s certification, the Elections Department will notify the Board of Supervisors, which then has 14 days to schedule an election. If it fails to do so, the county elections office will set the date within five days.
The cost of the recall election could range from under $20,000 to as much as $85,000, depending on when it is scheduled, Diaz told BenitoLink in a previous interview. If the vote coincides with the June 2026 primary election, the cost would be less than $20,000. But if it’s a special election, the cost would range between $75,000 and $85,000.
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