Republican Governor Scott Walker was in Eau Claire Thursday night for a private event as democrats get close to the number of signatures needed to recall him. He says he's not focusing on the new signature numbers but rather creating jobs in Wisconsin.

Democrats say their goal is to get 720,000 signatures. Republicans say more than the minimum will be needed if it's true some people have signed petitions more than once but the Governor says he's focused on keeping the state moving right now.

The Chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party announced Thursday more than 507,000 signatures have been collected to recall Governor Scott Walker.

"You have done something amazing in these grass roots movements but now is not the time to get complacent or take a single petition for granted. Scott Walker and the Koch Brothers are counting on us to rest on our laurels and let the corporate cash lull us to sleep in false confidence. I know you won’t let them," says Wisconsin Democratic Chair Mike Tate.

Republican Governor Scott Walker stopped in Eau Claire for a private event Thursday. He says he's keeping his attention on the state of Wisconsin.

"Our focus is still, has been, and continues to be not so much on the recall campaign but on the campaign to create 250,000 jobs. No matter how many signatures are out there we're going to stay focused every day, every week and every month on helping the people in the state create jobs," says Governor Walker.

540,208 signatures need to be collected by January 17th for both Governor Walker and Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch to be recalled. The democrat's goal is to get more than 700-thousand people to sign petitions.

"It shows once again that he's hugely unpopular and people are very willing to do the work it takes to get him out of office," says Kristen Dexter, Chair of the Eau Claire County Democratic Party.

Republicans are concerned about the possibility of fake names or duplicate names being submitted. A lawsuit was filed by Walker and republicans to change how the Government Accountability Board reviews the signatures. Republicans say if a recall happens it will happen close to the next state election.

"They could literally make it so Governor Walker couldn't blow his nose with out asking a democrat. Our process works now we're going to make the state and municipality spend $7-$10-million literally months before they spend $7-$10-million again to accomplish the same result. Our democracy works it's been working for more than 150 years in this state," says Brian Westrate Chair of the Eau Claire County Republican Party.

Dexter says more than 22,000 signatures have been collected in Eau Claire County.

The Wisconsin Democratic Party says it has raised $1.1-million since July. The party says it spent nearly $540,000 on the effort to recall Governor Walker. On the flip side, Friends of Scott Walker say they've raised more than $5-million to fight the recall efforts.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Organizers of an effort to recall Wisconsin Republican Gov. Scott Walker from office say they have collected nearly enough signatures to force an election.

The United Wisconsin coalition said Thursday that more than 507,000 signatures had been collected in just 30 days. They need 540,208 signatures to force the recall election sometime in 2012. Petitions are due Jan. 17.

The coalition says its goal is to collect 720,000 signatures.

The effort was spurred by anger over Walker's proposal effectively ending collective bargaining rights for public workers.

The state elections board is planning to take 60 days to review the submitted petitions. The burden of challenging the validity of signatures, and tossing out duplicates, rests with Walker.

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(WEAU) - The Wisconsin Democratic Party is planning an announcemnent at noon to discuss the latest in their effort to recall Gov. Scott Walker.

Sources tell Milwaukee's NBC Affiliate, WTMJ, the group may have more than 500,000 signatures.

At least 540,000 signatures are needed to trigger a recall.

Right now, there is no word from Democrats what the announcement will be about.

Stay with WEAU 13 News and WEAU.com for the latest on this developing story.