The Recall Elections Blog

Maine: West Gardiner considers recall ordinance

2013-05-23T00:30:00.003-07:00

West Gardiner is holding a public hearing on a proposed new recall law that will be voted on June 4th. Apparently, the defeat of a 44 year incumbent sparked the effort.

Petitioners would need 10% of turnout in the gubernatorial election.

Massachusetts: Templeton Board of Selectmen member, elected in a recall, resigns

2013-05-22T23:05:00.000-07:00

Templeton Board of Selectmen member Virginia C. Wilder resigned after being spit at, cursed at, had chairs thrown at her. Wilder won office in the recall of Julie Farrell (Farrell came back to win office three months later).

Colorado: Recall against Senator Hudak failing

2013-05-22T15:04:00.001-07:00

The recall campaign against Democratic state Sen. Evie Hudak is being suspended. Petitioners need 18962 signatures by June 10, so this is a sure sign the recall is dead.

Maine: Theft of signs in Old Orchard Beach plagues another recall

2013-05-22T14:11:00.003-07:00

We've seen this before.

Wisconsin: True the Vote claims that the verify the recall campaign was targeted by the IRS

2013-05-22T00:25:00.000-07:00

Here, though there is a claim that the True the Vote group filed as a 501(c)(3), which would be barred from political activity.

Minnesota: Supreme Court throws out two recall campaigns over gay marriage vote

2013-05-22T00:22:00.000-07:00

Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Lori Gildea tossed out the recall campaigns against to DFL Reps. Joe Radinovich and John Ward, DFL. Both of them voted to legalize gay marriage, though their districts voted to ban it. As with every other Minnesota recall, the judge held that the didn't meet the malfeasance standard.

Wisconsin: Another attempt at changing the recall law underway

2013-05-22T00:14:00.002-07:00

Here.The article cites two strange facts. It says 29 states allow local recalls -- the number is probably more like 38 (it's really not clear). The other is the NCSL estimate that three-fourths of recalls are at the city council or school board level. Since there have been only 42 state level recalls in US history, the percentage of recalls occurring on the local level is vastly higher than 3/4ths.

Colorado: First State Rep. recall effort fails

2013-05-21T11:35:00.001-07:00

The effort against State Representative Mike McLachlan has apparently failed. Petitioners needed 10,586 signatures and haven't handed any in.

Massachusetts: Hanson Board of Health Chairman kicked out

2013-05-19T13:33:00.002-07:00

Hanson Health Board Chairman Tom Constantine was kicked out by a 886-316 margin. Issues included a ban on outdoor activities during the mosquito season, forcing the aggressive interpretation of agricultural uses and seeking a protective order against the town administrator. He is being replaced by a long-term former health board member, Gil Amato.

Colorado: More on the Morse recall effort

2013-05-17T19:22:00.004-07:00

CNN has another story on this. I'll have to write a larger piece on this.

Arizona: Arpaio recall pulls plug on paid signatures gatherers (again)

2013-05-17T19:20:00.002-07:00

Arizona Politics has the story

Washington: Senators considering easing recall laws

2013-05-17T19:09:00.001-07:00

This is after the difficulty Pacific voters dealt with in getting their mayoral recall on the ballot. One of the suggestions is adding in DUI as a reason to recall.

Massachusetts: Hanson Board of Health Chair recall election tomorrow

2013-05-17T19:05:00.002-07:00

Tom Constantine is up for recall tomorrow. Here's the issues.

Nebraska: Omaha Mayor, who beat back recall campaign, loses reelection race

2013-05-17T00:50:00.000-07:00

Jim Suttle barely survived a recall race in 2011. While he got into the runoff, but was easily defeated in his reelection 57-42.

Alaska: Whittier mayor recall going to the ballot

2013-05-17T00:42:00.001-07:00

Whittier Mayor Lester Lunceford is facing a recall for open meeting violations. Petitioners handed 56 valid signatures, and needed 31.

Nebraska: Wayne County Commissioner loses recall in overwhelming fashion

2013-05-14T19:34:00.002-07:00

Kelvin Wurdeman was kicked out 370-77. His conviction for selling publicly owned scrap metal did not go over well.

California: San Bernardino City Clerk 10th official to face recall petitions

2013-05-14T15:06:00.000-07:00

San Bernardino City Clerk Gigi Hanna is the 10th city official to face a recall, though this is not being run by the same group that is launching a recall against the 10 other officials.

South Dakota: Rapid City Councilman recall needs 1,000 more signatures

2013-05-14T15:02:00.003-07:00

Petitioners claim that they need 1,000 more signatures to reach the 6,200 signatures needed to get the recall of Rapid City Councilman Bill Clayton on the ballot. Here's why:

Clayton reportedly asked the TV reporter, who is Jamaican-American, "Should we deport you back to Kenya with Obama?" and "Are you even American?"

Florida: Tamarac Commissioner recall moving to second round of signature gathering

2013-05-14T14:51:00.001-07:00

The ongoing recall campaign against Commissioner Patte Atkins-Grad got enough signatures to move to the second round. Petitioners will now need 15% of 12496 to get on the ballot.

Michigan: Columbia School Board Secretary hearing recall threats for fictitious newspaper letter to the editor

2013-05-14T14:32:00.000-07:00

Columbia School Board Secretary Amy Miller is facing recall threats after writing a letter to the editor under a fictitious name opposing the new high school football coach hiring. The same group calling for the recall had previously discussed recalling the entire school board.

Nebraska: Wayne County Commissioner facing recall today

2013-05-14T14:20:00.001-07:00

Wayne County Commissioner Kelvin Wurdeman is facing a recall vote today after being convicted of stealing a truckload of publicly owned scrap metal and fined $1,000.

North Dakota: Five Griggs County Commissioners facing recall threats over courthouse/emergency center building plans

2013-05-13T15:13:00.000-07:00

All five Griggs County commissioners, Ron and Dennis Halvorson, Keith Monson, Robert Johnson and Ronnie Edland, are facing recall threats over the plan to build a $3.5 million courthouse and emergency operations center. The county voters have shot down three separate bond issues on the subject.

(Petitioners need 25% of the turnout in the governor's race -- which is 60 to 75 signatures per).

Florida: North Miami voters looking to subject all elected officials to recalls

2013-05-10T19:41:00.000-07:00

Here

The last charter question deals with the recall of elected officials; the city’s current language follows state statute. Voters will be asked to decide whether the city should remove redundant language and subject all elected officers in the city to the possibility of a recall.

Nebraska: Recall backers still opposing Omaha Mayor in reelection race

2013-05-10T19:36:00.003-07:00

Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle survived a recall vote in 2011. He's running for reelection and, no surprise, the recall backers are spending on his opponent.

Washington: Two Clark County Commissioners facing recall threat

2013-05-10T00:17:00.001-07:00

Clark County Commissioners David Madore and Tom Mielke are facing recall threats over the decision to push out the environmental services director and put in place Republican state Senator Don Benton. A former mayor of Vancouver. Royce Pollard, is leading the recall charge. Petitoners would need 39,549 and 44.053 to get on the ballot (25% of turnout).

Petitioners need to show Malfeasance, but the state courts rejects violation of open meeting laws (a popular one in other states) as a reason for meeting the malfeasance standard.

In Clark County, it's been almost 30 years since a recall measure has landed on the ballot. In November 1983, Ridgefield voters narrowly approved a recall of Mayor John Roe. The year before, Washougal voters soundly rejected a recall of Mayor Mike Johnson.