"If the 40 per cent threshold has not been met, no further verification process on the petition will occur," said Martin.
Martin says that if the required minimum number of signatures is reached, "the next process will be to conduct a random sample, as permitted under the Municipal Government Act, to do a verification process of the recall petition."
The number of signatures needed to verify the petition would use random statistical sampling, which was determined after the city consulted with a third-party organization.
That magic random sample number is 369 signatures, as opposed to verifying each signature individually. That data would then be extrapolated to estimate the overall total of valid signatures.
"The legislation is very prescriptive in terms of what the city clerk must be counting," said Martin, adding that with every signature there also needs to be an address, contact information, a witness and an affidavit. Forging signatures would contravene the law.
"Should that circumstance arise, it would definitely be a matter for the Calgary Police Service," she said.