A recently retired professional poker player has filed documents to recall Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman from office.

Doug Polk, a former professional poker player, filed a notice of intent to initiate a recall against Goodman on Wednesday with Las Vegas city officials. The notice of intent is the first step in the recall process, which next requires backers to garner signatures from at least 25 percent of registered voters who cast a ballot during Goodman’s last election.

The mayor was criticized by Gov. Steve Sisolak and other elected officials after a CNN interview in which she offered to use the city as a “control group,” amid national shutdown orders caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, urging the city and businesses to reopen despite warnings from public health officials that it would lead to massive spikes in infections and deaths.

"We are recalling the Mayor because over the last few weeks she has failed to responsibly represent her constituency," Polk said in a statement. "Not only in her clear disregard for public health, but also in her support for the casino owners over the people of Las Vegas. Additionally, she is barely able to speak coherent sentences while discussing the subject matter. She is unfit to serve as the mayor of Las Vegas."

Under state law, recall backers have 90 days to collect the needed 25 percent of signatures cast during Goodman’s last election, meaning they will have to collect at least 6,681 signatures of the 26,723 votes cast during the 2019 municipal election primary, where Goodman won another mayoral term outright. Voter turnout in the 2019 municipal primary was 8.8 percent of registered voters.

If enough signatures are gathered and determined to be valid by county and state election officials, a special election will be called.

Under a state law passed in 2019 moving municipal elections to normal, even-numbered years, Goodman’s term will expire in 2024.