CHICO, Calif. - The movement to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom has now surpassed the number of ballot signatures it needs to force a recall election, more than 1.5 million signatures.

Organizers said there is a likelihood that tens of thousands of those signatures will not be valid, so the push continues. 

Mike Netter is one of the leaders of the Recall Gavin 2020 movement. He said a majority of their workers are volunteers. 

"25,000 volunteers, about 60,000 total, but about 25,000 out there every weekend gathering signatures and doing what they can to remove Gavin Newsom. We have had 300,000 democrats sign this already," said Netter. 

"It seems like if you raise enough and spend enough you can get anything qualified," said Karl Ory, a representative for the Chico Dems group. 

RELATED: California GOP pumps $125K into recall against Gov. Newsom

"This is not being done by big money, this is the largest volunteer effort in American History, over 1.2 million signatures we gathered so far have been by volunteers. I am at the head of the recall and I make nothing," said Netter. 

Ory argues the recall is a distraction to larger issues in the state.

"We really need to be focusing on the pandemic we need to be unifying around vaccines for veterans for health care workers for the elderly and we are on track to do that," said Ory. 

"Gavin Newsom himself is not solving the coronavirus issue and in fact has locked down most of California, accelerating the cycle of shutting down small businesses," said Netter. 

"The Governor has not much more than a year and a half before voters decide whether or not to continue him. The Republicans have only won in the state when they jack up the odds and go for a special election in a recall," said Ory. 

"Gavin Newsom wants to go to Washington he does not care about California, so for starters, we cannot afford another year and a half of Gavin Newsom," said Netter.

Netter said they verify signatures before sending them in. All signatures need to be in by March 17, but they are shooting to have them in by March 10. 

The Lieutenant Governor must call a recall election between 60 and 80 days after the certification of signatures.