 As Aberhart's popularity fell, the residents of his own Okotoks-High River riding, where he had been elected in a by-election shortly after the general election (in which he had not run), availed themselves of the legislation.On April 9 their petition was endorsed by the riding's Social Credit constituency association, and by fall it had gathered the signatures of the required two thirds of the electorate.In response, the Social Crediters repealed the "Recall Act" retroactive to its date of origin; Aberhart claimed that oil companies active in his riding had intimidated their workers into signing the petition, and that some of the signatories had moved to the area specifically to sign.