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A recall election targeting San Benito County Supervisor Ignacio Velazquez will be held in June, after the Board of Supervisors last month declined to accept the recall petition or set an election date.
The San Benito County Elections Department announced on Dec. 5 that the recall vote will be held on June 2 as part of the California primary election.
The recall campaign will unfold amid accusations involving both Velazquez’s conduct and the signature-gathering process that triggered the recall.
In a Nov. 14 letter, the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) confirmed that it had opened a formal investigation against Velazquez, after Safer San Benito—the group leading the recall—filed a complaint in September.
The group alleges that Velazquez interfered with the recall effort and spread false claims through a countywide mailer in which he labeled the campaign a scam.
The mailer, which was also shared online, tied the recall to former Hollister mayor Mia Casey, claiming she “wanted to build thousands of houses on farmland surrounding Hollister,” and accused Stacie McGrady, co-chair of Safer San Benito, of supporting “more growth and expanding the landfill.”
Heidi Connor, treasurer of Safer San Benito, told BenitoLink the group believes Velazquez was responsible for the mailer, noting that it listed his business address and the name of “Hollister Enchilada,” a Facebook page he administers.
“We’re most distressed at calling a democratic process a scam,” Connor said. “That’s a very, very strong word. This was a real process that the committee had engaged with.”
Connor also said the group has filed six additional election interference complaints with the county Elections Department. They detail incidents involving Velazquez supporters who, according to Connor, marked some of Safer San Benito’s door hangers—left at homes throughout the county—with messages claiming the recall effort was a scam.
Velazquez has repeatedly referred to the recall as a scam. At a Nov. 18 Board of Supervisors meeting, joined by Supervisors Dom Zanger and Kollin Kosmicki, Velazquez claimed voters had been misled into signing the petition. Four residents at the meeting said they were told the petition was to raise firefighters’ salaries and were never informed it was a recall effort.
Regarding the FPPC investigation, Velazquez told BenitoLink that “these people are constantly making accusations” about him. He said the group is “scamming people” and that their effort is being investigated by the District Attorney.
San Benito County District Attorney Joel Buckingham said his office has received complaints and sworn statements from about 20 people who claim they were misled into signing the recall petition. While prosecutors have sought additional information, Buckingham noted there is currently no active investigator “in the field.” He emphasized that the investigation would not interfere with the June recall election.
“Nothing related to our investigation will have the effect of halting the recall,” he said. “Any such decision would be handled by the San Benito County Superior Court.”
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