Arizona: Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio facing recall threats

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio is now facing a threatened recall race -- apparently by the same people who lead the successful recall of Senate Majority Leader Russell Pearce. 

The chances of this get on the ballot are very slim -- they would need 335,317 valid signatures in four months (25% of turnout). If it actually worked, it would represent the fourth most signatures ever collected for a recall (The other three are California Governor Gray Davis and Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and LG Rebecca Kleefisch). Arizona voters did succeed in getting a recall against Governor Evan Meacham on the ballot in 1988, though that effort required less total valid signatures. Looks at the Pearce recall signatures -- many were invalid. Similarly, we saw a Phoenix City Council recall were the error rate was over 50%.

According to the article, the recall supporters are expecting $1 million cost (almost certainly on the low side), and are looking to pay petition gatherers $1.75 to $2 per signature.