An initiative to recall Santa Cruz County Sheriff David Hathaway has ended unsuccessfully after organizers failed to gather the required number of signatures by the July 2 deadline. The recall effort, driven by community members who expressed dissatisfaction with Sheriff Hathaway’s leadership, needed 4,567 signatures—equal to 25% of the votes cast in the last sheriff’s election—to trigger a special recall election.
Organizers cited a “loss of trust and confidence” in Hathaway’s ability to ensure safety and fair treatment within Santa Cruz County. While Arizona law does not require specific grounds for a recall, those spearheading the initiative emphasized that their concerns were non-partisan and open to any registered voter within the county.
The recall petition was initially filed by Dan Dellinges, chairman of the Santa Cruz County Republican Party and former volunteer with the Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team. Dellinges publicly questioned Hathaway’s decision-making on several fronts, including his handling of the high-profile George Alan Kelly trial, the county’s withdrawal from the federal border-patrol funding program Operation Stonegarden, and accusations of retaliation against volunteers who politically supported Hathaway’s former opponent, Mario Morales, who died on April 7. Hathaway’s office disputed these claims, attributing personnel changes to departmental restructuring and training requirements.
Despite these controversies and the energetic push by recall organizers, the effort ultimately fell short. Sheriff Hathaway will remain in office, at least until the end of his current term. According to the Arizona Secretary of State’s office, recall attempts must follow a strict 120-day timeline once petitions are approved, and failure to secure sufficient signatures within this window terminates the recall process.
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