A petition to recall Martinsville Mayor L.C. Jones over his handling of the city’s spending audit and firing of its former manager has garnered more than half of the minimum number of needed signatures.
A recall petition is the first in several steps, which includes approval by a commonwealth’s attorney and district judge, toward the removal of a public official before their scheduled term expires. Jones was elected in 2022, and his term expires Dec. 1, 2026.
After two weeks, the recall petition has secured signatures from around 288 Martinsville residents, according to its author and lead petitioner, Patti Covington. She had hoped that a petition rally she scheduled for Saturday at the Market Street recycling center would help her secure the minimum number of signatures needed to move on to the next step of the process to recall Jones.
On Saturday, Covington and a group of six petitioners braved the rain and cold weather to gather the minimum 375 signatures. They started with around 250 signatures.
While Saturday’s event only brought their signature tally up to 288, Covington believes she will eventually reach the threshold. Currently, she has no plans for an additional signature event.
Covington was born in the Henry County area and moved away after college. She returned to Martinsville years ago but only recently began to engage in local issues. She said recent controversies, like last year’s removal of a city councilor from a meeting and issues stemming from the firing last summer of former Martinsville Manager Aretha Ferrell-Benavides, prompted her to spearhead this petition drive.
Covington said the petition is not only to have the mayor removed but is also a mandate from Martinsville residents for more transparency into the firing of Ferrell-Benavides and the audit of the city’s spending during her tenure.
“Many citizens have lost trust in local governance,” Covington wrote in an email. “Citizens who have been following the turmoil with growing concern over mismanagement and misuse of public funds finally said enough is enough.”
She has targeted the mayor with the recall petition because of what she describes as incompetence and an effort to keep the public from the truth.
Jones wrote in an email to Cardinal News that he welcomed any opportunity to validate himself.
“First and foremost, I wholeheartedly support the judicial process and procedures established by state legislation,” Jones wrote Dec. 30, adding that Covington has likely been misled by rumors and falsehoods.
Jones wrote that he trusts that the forensic audit will be a source of vindication and said he isn’t concerned with the number of signatures Covington collects.
“My hope is that everyone who has signed this petition will hold accountable those who have exploited this moment to spread slanderous lies and misinformation, driving a wedge between our citizens,” Jones wrote. “They should face the same judgment and responsibility that they have unwittingly intended for me.”
More than just a petition
A successful recall begins with securing signatures equaling a minimum of 10% of the vote from the most recent mayoral election.
Petition signatures can’t be done online, which is why Covington held petition signature rallies on Dec. 27 and, most recently, on Saturday. After the correct number of signatures has been secured, the commonwealth’s attorney must decide if the petition has merit.
The case would then go before a district judge, who would make the final decision.
Don Martin, director of Radford University’s Law Society, said factors such as neglect of administerial duty could result in a recall. He said it boils down to the petition having clear and convincing evidence.
According to Virginia Code, recall criteria include neglect of administerial duties, misuse of the office, incompetence in the performance of duties and several misdemeanor crimes.
The process, from the perspective of the petitioner, is difficult for a reason, Martin said.
“It’s not an easy process,” he said, describing it as a “relatively rare activity.” Ballotpedia lists three recall efforts in 2025 in Virginia, in Purcellville, Highland County and York County. All three are still pending, according to Ballotpedia.
“The creator of these recall laws don’t want a scenario where we have elected officials recalled with too much ease,” Martin said. “They want some pause and deliberation.”
Covington said she knew the process would be involved, which is why she sought information on how to proceed from city officials, like the registrar and clerk of court, prior to launching the campaign. She hopes that even if the campaign isn’t successful, it will emphasize the importance of transparency and keeping the public aware of what’s happening behind the scenes.
On Dec. 24, Jones announced that the forensic audit of the city’s spending had been completed. On Thursday, city councilors will hold a special meeting where they could discuss the audit.
Covington said the petition will be available for people to sign at the meeting. While there is no deadline for meeting the signature threshold, Covington said she hopes to move on to the next step “soon.”