The race to recall state Sen. Kevin Priola began on Friday, with proponents given 60 days to collect more than 18,000 signatures in order to force a special recall election.

In late August, Priola announced he was changing parties from Republican to Democrat after serving on the state House and Senate as a Republican since 2008. Two days later, Advance Colorado Action announced it would launch a recall of Priola, who has two years left to go on his final Senate term.

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The Secretary of State’s Office approved the recall petition format on Friday, starting the countdown for Advance Colorado Action to collect 18,291 valid signatures. The group has until Election Day on Nov. 8 to submit the signatures to the Secretary of State’s Office.

During his time in the legislature, Priola has been known as a moderate willing to vote across the aisle, particularly in support of bills on climate change. When announcing his party switch, Priola said one of his reasons is the Republican Party’s refusal to take action to combat climate change. He also described the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol as “the last straw.” 

“Coloradans cannot afford for their leaders to give credence to election conspiracies and climate denialism,” Priola said. “Simply put, we need Democrats in charge because our planet and our democracy depend on it.”

In their proposed petition statement, organizers said Priola should be recalled because his “voting record is out-of-step with the people of this district,” adding he “broke the trust of voters who elected him” and “does not represent the views of this district.”

All signatures will have to be collected from Priola’s new district after redistricting last year, Senate District 13. Senate District 13, largely based in Weld County, is more Republican than Priola’s former district Senate District 25, but it is also evenly split with Democrats and Republicans having around 20,000 active registered voters each and unaffiliated voters numbering more than 38,000.

The recall election will cost proponents $199,079.95, the Secretary of State’s office said, to be paid by the counties in which the special election is held, should the proponents collect enough signatures.

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Colorado voters have twice recalled state senators. Senate President John Morse, D-Colorado Springs, and Sen. Angela Giron, D-Pueblo, were both recalled in 2013 over their votes on gun control measures.

There have been numerous unsuccessful recall attempts, including multiple against Gov. Jared Polis and, in 2019, against state Sens. Jeff Bridges, Leroy Garcia, Brittany Pettersen and Pete Lee, and state Reps. Meg Froelich, Rochelle Galindo, Bri Buentello and Tom Sullivan. All of the efforts failed to submit enough signatures.