LOS ANGELES (AP) – Activists seeking to oust Democratic Gov. Gray Davis said Thursday they have turned in enough signatures for a recall election.

Ted Costa, coordinator of the Republican-led signature drive, said proponents turned in just over 1 million signatures by Thursday morning. Valid signatures from 897,158 registered voters are needed for the recall to make the ballot.

The signatures turned in so far have not been validated. Because some signatures will likely be found invalid, recall backers were looking to get 1.2 million. They need to submit the signatures by Sept. 2, but are aiming for a mid-July deadline to force an election before the end of the year.

“By this time next week I think we’ll have more than enough,” Costa said.

Meanwhile, an anti-recall group held a news conference in Los Angeles to display some of 1.1 million signatures they say they’ve collected on nonbinding petitions opposing the recall.

“An election should not be overturned simply because the losing side doesn’t like the outcome,” said Dan Terry, chairman of Taxpayers Against the Governor’s Recall and head of the California Professional Firefighters union.