September 21, 2007 -- When Commissioner Neil Granath's Spanish-speaking friends and constituents called him Tuesday night to inform him that the Spanish interpretation of the recall ballot was an incorrect translation, Granath immediately notified Lovington City Hall of the error first thing Wednesday morning, September 19, 2007.

As is, the ballot reads

0 For the recall / Para el recuerda

0 Against the recall / Contra el recuerda

The problem is that the verb recuerda is a form of the verb "to remember," so in Spanish the ballot reads "For to remember" and "Against to remember." State law requires that a ballot be translated in both English and Spanish, and that a recall ballot specifically read "For the recall" and "Against the recall," which clearly makes this ballot in violation of state law.

With attorney Barry Crutchfield, Granath filed an injunction to temporarily suspend the election in Fifth Judicial District Court Thursday morning, September 20. That motion will be heard Monday at 3 p.m. in Carlsbad.

It is the official position of the city attorney, however, that the election continue, even with a flawed ballot.

Regardless of the outcome, Granath is urging all his supporters to make sure they vote AGAINST the recall this Tuesday, September 25, at City Hall, 214 S. Love Street.