Election set to recall Carson City Clerk Jim Dear. Carson voters will decide early next year whether to remove combative city clerk and former mayor Jim Dear from office for a series of alleged transgressions, ranging from overt racism to intimidating City Hall employees.

The City Council on Tuesday night unanimously called a Feb. 23 recall election in response to a resident-led petition drive that easily qualified for the ballot. Voters also would choose a replacement in case Dear is ousted from the $130,000-a-year salaried position managing the department in charge of overseeing elections, maintaining municipal records and handling public announcements.

A nomination period for replacement candidates opened Wednesday and will close Dec. 10. Retired Torrance City Clerk Sue Herbers has been contracted to handle the recall election.

Vera Robles-DeWitt, a former mayor and community activist who spearheaded the petition drive, said recall backers collected about 4,000 more voter signatures than needed to qualify the election.

“We needed 8,000 signatures but we submitted over 12,000,” DeWitt said. “I think we should be very proud of how we embraced our responsibility to make our government accountable.

“I’m very proud. Shout out to all the volunteers: We did it!”

Dear did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but one of his political allies told the City Council that Dear’s supporters are working on a recall petition to remove Mayor Albert Robles from office. Dear submitted 1,600 signed withdrawal cards from voters who signed the petition but later decided to oppose the recall.