There will be a recall election for Arapahoe County Clerk Tracy Baker.

The Arapahoe County assessor announced Tuesday that enough of the 44,000 petition signatures turned in earlier this month were valid to force the recall election.

Organizers of the recall effort needed 34,603 signatures to put the issue on the ballot and County Assessor Ed Bosier deemed 37, 428 signatures as valid. Although 7,500 signatures were thrown out, the recall effort collected roughly 3,000 more than it needed.

Baker has refused to step down despite accusations that he mismanaged the office, created a hostile work environment, and misused taxpayer dollars, some of which stemmed from his romance with his asistant chief deputy, Leesa Sale.

No exact date for the recall election has been set, but it's expected to take place some time in February.

"This is a sad day for the county that it has come to this," said Bosier. "Both me personally and the people involved in this know all the other people involved. I work with Tracy. I have respect for him and his office."

Baker said he will challenge the validity of signatures collected. Although hundreds of sexually explicit e-mails between Baker and Sale were found on county computers, the district attorney cleared Baker of any criminal wrongdoing.

Six of his employees have filed sexual harassment or misconduct claims against him and the county.

The recall committee spent $16,000 -- including a $10,000 loan from Bruce Peterson, chairman of the Arapahoe County Republican Party -- to hire petitioners to gather signatures.

More Information:

Recall Tracy Baker campaign
Arapahoe Clerk and Recorder's Office