The mayor of Avenal, a former oil boomtown in California, is refusing to step down despite being ousted in a recall election held in April. Mayor Alvaro Preciado maintains he will remain in office until a court rules on the legality of the vote.

Preciado, along with two other recalled councilmembers, Leticia Gamez and Pablo Hernandez, voted on June 11 to reject the recall results during a City Council meeting, asserting that the election was unlawfully conducted by Kings County without proper authorization from the council. The three officials continue to serve amid ongoing legal challenges.

In an interview, Preciado stated that whether he relinquishes his position depends on judicial findings regarding the election’s validity. "That’s a legal question that we will probably be looking at. If it was a legal election from the beginning, I wouldn’t be here right now," Preciado said.

The recall election resulted in the removal of four of the city’s five elected leaders, dividing the community of approximately 13,000 residents located about 60 miles southwest of Fresno. The recalled officials sought to halt the election through legal means, but the 5th District Court of Appeals ruled against stopping the vote count.

As the dispute unfolds, the city remains in a state of uncertainty with the question of leadership unresolved pending further judicial determination.