The campaign for Eugene City Councilor Claire Syrett is asking a judge to invalidate the petitions that were submitted to qualify a recall in Ward 7 for the November ballot and to halt the election.

Ballots were mailed Thursday in the recall election for Syrett's ward, which includes Santa Clara, River Road, Trainsong and Whiteaker neighborhood associations.

A lawsuit filed Thursday on behalf of the campaign in Lane County Circuit Court claims the recall effort was based on false information.

Petitioners, who started recall efforts in the spring, have cited frustration over MovingAhead, a yearslong transportation project that could result in bus-only lanes for an Emerald Express, or EmX, route on River Road.

In the petition, they state that MovingAhead will remove two lanes for cars on River Road, take substantial property away from businesses, cause traffic congestion and involve an increase in taxes.

The lawsuit calls out those statements as false.

“These statements make assertions of objective fact that are false and cannot reasonably be interpreted in any manner that would make them factually correct,” the complaint said.

You can read the complaint in its entirety, without exhibits, at the end of the article.

Petitioners used those false statements to convince people to sign the recall petition, the complaint said, and at least one voter was only told their signature would “prevent the removal of car lanes on River Road.”

That voter told Syrett they felt “duped” for...

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