The mayor of Avenal, a once-thriving California oil town now in the midst of a contentious recall situation, has chosen not to resign, even after being overwhelmingly ousted from his position. He stated he will hold on to his role until a judge addresses the legality of the recall election.
In a recent interview with a newspaper, Mayor Alvaro Preciado expressed his views. Despite voters removing four out of five city leaders in an April recall election, he and two of his recalled colleagues still remain in their posts.
During a city council meeting on June 11, Preciado, along with council members Leticia Gamez and Pablo Hernandez, voted to dismiss the recall results. They claimed that the election was improperly conducted by Kings County without permission from the City Council.
When asked if he would resign following a potential unfavorable ruling from the judge, Preciado noted, “That’s a legal question and we’ll probably look at it. If it had been a legal election to begin with, I wouldn’t be here right now.”
The situation has deeply divided the small town of Avenal, which has a population of about 13,000 and is located around 90 miles southwest of Fresno.
In the April election, voters successfully recalled four out of five City Council members, with each recall proposal garnering at least 76% support.
Prior to the election, the recalled officials attempted to block the recall process through a lawsuit. However, the 5th District Court of Appeals determined that ongoing vote counting could not be interrupted.
This week, the California Attorney General, Rob Bonta, approved a lawsuit aimed at maintaining the status quo, allowing recall organizers to challenge the recalled officials’ right to stay in office.
Experts in election law have indicated that the legal actions being taken are unusual but designed for circumstances similar to the scandal in Avenal.
Preciado contended that Kings County overstepped its boundaries in carrying out the recall election.
Kings County Executive Kyria Martinez addressed this, stating, “The county has no involvement in the outcome of the recall election. Their role is simply to comply with the law and follow established processes to ensure that the voices of voters are heard.”
The nature of the conflict has become more personal as well.
Preciado, who is Latino, alongside other city leaders, reported experiencing threats and racist comments throughout the recall dispute.
At the June 11 meeting, one resident questioned whether a council member spoke English, while other public comments provoked outrage and accusations of racism.
Reflecting on these experiences, Preciado remarked, “I’ve never seen anything like this before.” He emphasized the council’s efforts to lead the city positively and to make decisions that would benefit the entire community rather than just select groups.
Following these events, the city released a statement denouncing any “threats of violence, intimidation, and racist and derogatory comments against public officials, city employees, and community members.”
The next Avenal City Council meeting is set for June 25, with recall advocates planning to persist in their efforts to push for the resignation of the four recalled officials.
