Kings County sets Avenal recall election for April 28 after city misses statutory deadline

The Kings County Board of Supervisors voted Jan. 27 to set a recall election for four members of the Avenal City Council on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, after county elections staff said the city failed to meet a statutorily required deadline.

Lupe Villan, the county elections official, told the board the recall proponents filed notices of intent in July 2025 and, after the petitions were circulated and reviewed, the Elections Department found each petition met the required raw signature threshold. Villan said the city received certificates of sufficiency on Jan. 8, 2026, and ‘‘in accordance with California Elections Code 11,240’’ the governing body (the Avenal City Council) had 14 days to issue the recall order; because the council did not act by the board‑established deadline, Villan said Elections Code 11,241 required the county elections official to set the election date.

The board heard several public comments before the vote. Dalila Barajas, who identified herself as the person who started the recall, told supervisors the county’s action preserves a ‘‘lawful neutral path to hold elected officials accountable’’ and urged adoption of the county resolution. Mayor Alvaro Preciado of Avenal told the board he had concerns about the process but said transparency and follow‑up via the legal process should reveal the facts. City manager Anthony Lopez had earlier told the board the city never consented to the county conducting the recall and that the city had not received a formal response to its Jan. 14 letter; Lopez said, ‘‘the city has never consented and does not consent now to the county conducting a recall election on the city's behalf.’’

After public comment and staff discussion about the Elections Department’s review and the applicable timing, Supervisor Verboone moved to adopt the resolution calling the recall election; the motion was seconded and the clerk recorded unanimous ‘‘yes’’ votes from the supervisors present. The resolution as described by staff sets the Avenal recall election for Tuesday, April 28, 2026, and directs the County Elections Office to conduct, canvass and declare the results according to normal practice.

Why it matters: The county’s action moves the process forward despite the city council’s objections and sets a firm date for voters in Avenal to decide whether the four council members remain in office. County staff cited the Elections Code provisions when explaining why the county took the step, and several community members said they want a neutral, transparent process to proceed.

What’s next: The county elections office will administer the special election, and the matter could be affected by any litigation the city may file; members of the public and city officials indicated they might seek court review if they believe the county’s action was improper.