An effort to recall El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa will not go forward.
Organizers of the recall effort told both KKTV-Channel 11 and KRDO-Channel 13 that while they had gathered more than 48,000 signatures by Saturday’s deadline — they needed 44,387 valid signatures — they don’t have enough to cover a 10 percent buffer and noted it would cost taxpayers about $20,000 for the signature verification process.
The El Paso County Clerk confirmed in a news release that the recall petition was not turned in by the 1 p.m. deadline.
The Colorado Constitution bans any further attempts to recall Maketa because he will be within six months of the end of his term after Saturday.
Maketa, who is term-limited and will leave office in January, has been accused of having affairs with three female subordinates, as well as discrimination, budget improprieties and creating a hostile work setting.
The sheriff apologized for what he called inappropriate behavior, but he said he wouldn’t resign.
