Thursday, December 28, 2017

California: San Jose Councilman facing recall threat over cabins for homeless plan

Councilman Sergio Jimenez is facing a recall threat over a plan to house homeless in tiny homes. In August, Jimenez's speech at a community meeting was interrupted by a chant of "build a wall."

California: Three Paramount Councilmembers facing recall effort

Councilmembers Daryl Hofmeyer, Peggy Lemons and Diane Martinez are all facing recalls over elevated levels of hexavalent chromium and well as a decision to delay the next election to March 2020. Petitioners need 4515 signatures to get on the ballot.

Tuesday, December 26, 2017

California: Signatures handed in against Alvord School Board Member

Signatures were handed in against school board member Joseph Barragan over claims that he insulted undocumented immigrants and other groups on a Facebook posts, though Barragan claims that it was from a phony account or created via Photoshop type program. Petitioners handed in 2125 signatures, they need 1712.

Michigan: Two Thetford Township officials facing recall over their questions about surplus military equipment purchases

Trustee Stan Piechnik and Supervisor Gary Stevens are facing recall threats over their questions about the police department's purchasing of military equipment. There is going to be a language hearing on December 27.

Utah: Article notes state's lack of recall law following Utah County Commissioner facing calls for removal

County Commissioner Greg Graves is facing calls for his removal following sexual harassment and bullying allegations. Utah has no recall law and this law notes some of the discussions surrounding the state's lack of a recall law.

Thursday, December 21, 2017

Michigan: Algonac Mayor petitions rejected by Election Commission

Petitions against Mayor Eileen Tesch were rejected by the Election Commission over the use of the word "legally." The issues seem to be a FOIA request that showed that the mayor called the sheriff's deputies, allegedly to have a signature gatherers removed petitioners seeking the recall of two councilmembers, Irene Bird and Joe Nugent. Both Bird and Nugent resigned before the November recall vote.

Petitioners need about 350 signatures.

California: Petitions served in Long Beach Councilwoman recall effort

Councilwoman Jeannine Pearce was found on the side of a freeway with her former Chief of Staff in an alleged domestic violence incident  in June. Petitioners have also complained about her ties to local unions and her not being helpful in a push to quiet protests around a downtown hotel. There have also been questions over her blocking people on social media accounts. Petitioners would need 6463 signatures to get on the ballot.

Michigan: Roscommon Village President recall to proceed

Petitioners have handed in 54 verified signatures , enough to get a recall against President Dan Fishel on the ballot for next year. The issue appears to an effort to dismantle the Roscommon Downtown Development Authority.

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Nevada: Signatures approved against State Senator

The Secretary of State's office has announced that there were enough signatures (by 43) to start a recall against  state Senator Nicole Cannizzaro (D). Petitioners handed in 16875 signatures, they got 15018 (after removing people who asked to be stricken) and needed 14975.

Cannizzaro sounsd like she may have some further suits against the method of striking and checking the signatures, so we can expect this to go on. Democrats are still challenging the signatures in the petitions against Senator Joyce Woodhouse.

Philippines: San Juan City Mayor facing recall vote

The signatures against San Juan Mayor Guia Gomez has been approved by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC). Petitioners handed in about 35000 signatures, they needed 15000. Vice Mayor Francis Zamora is looking to run in the race.


Maryland: Bowie Council member kicked out

Council member Diane Polangin lost her seat 1118-497. The replacement vote is yet to be held. The issue was Polangin's votes on revitalization plan to put in apartments in an old marketplace shopping center.

Update: Polangin came in second in her replacement race.

Alaska: Signatures handed in against Unalaska Mayor

Signatures are being checked against Mayor Frank Kelty over his attempt to sole-source land use agreements for the Unalaska Marine Center.

Petitioners need 168 valids.

Michigan: Third times the charm for petition approval against Saugatuck board members

After two failed attempts, petitions were approved against Clerk Brad Rudich, Lori Babinski and Trustee Douglas Lane. Petitions were previously approved against Trustee Roy McIlwaine.

The issue was a vote to fire the township manager and fire code issues. Petitioners need 336 signatures to get on the ballot.

Sunday, December 17, 2017

Taiwan: New Power Party Chairman survives recall vote

Huag Kuo-chang survived the recall vote, as 48693 voted to remove him. 15000 short of the total needed. 21748 voted against, and petitioners needed 63888 total to win (1/4 the total eligible voters in the constituency. Kuo-chang's support for gay  rights issues was the precipitating factor in the recall.

Michigan: Kinderhook Township Clerk facing recall threats

Clerk Cynthia Carpenter is facing a recall petition filed by the Michael Exelby, who Carpenter beat in an August 2016 Republican primary 138-126. This is his second attempt (the first was rejected over vagueness). The issue appears to be how the township pays for mileage. Petitioners would need 125 signatures.

Friday, December 15, 2017

California: Julian-Suyamaca Fire Protection District Chairman facing recall for vote in favor of consolidation

Following a vote to consolidate the volunteer fire department with the San Diego County Fire Authority, Chairman Jack Shelver, the only vote in favor of consolidation, is facing a recall effort.

Montana: District Court Judge kills Pondera County Sheriff recall

The recall against Sheriff Carl Suta, scheduled for December 19, has been stopped by a district court judge who claimed that the petition is too vague and the petitioner didn't have personal knowledge of the allegations. Petitioners claimed abuse of power and Suta plead no contest to domestic abuse and got one year of probation.

Massachusetts: Chelmsford School Board president facing recall threats

School Board Member John Moses is facing a recall threat led by the mother of the teacher's union president. The union president was placed on leave for a week and a half after an altercation with a field representative and administrators. Moses is accused of leaking information on social media.

Arizona: Kingman Mayor and five Councilmembers facing recall effort over firing of city manager

Mayor Monica Gates and Councilmembers Jen Miles, Vickie Kress, Jamie Scott Stehly, Travis Lingenfelter and David Wayt are all facing recall threats following the firing of the city manager. Petitions are due April 10. The need 2683 signatures for Gates and 1305 for each of the other five.

Update: Recall efforts against Wyat and Kress were ended.

Massachusetts: Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates proposes recall charter amendment

The proposed amendment would require 1000 signatures and must have 25 signatures from each town in the county and no more than 25% from one single community. The ordinance is expected to be on the agenda next month. The issue that seems to be bringing the recall forward is comments from County Commissioner Ron Beaty after picking a fight over a parking space, proposing to kill great white sharks and criticizing the #Me Too movement over sexual harassment.

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Texas: Garland Councilmember resigns in face of recall

Councilmember Anita Goebel resigned in the face of a recall, though she also called for Mayor Douglas Athas to quit as well following a vote to allow the demolition of an armory.

California: Recall of state Senator to cost $931,000 on regular primary ballot; $2.67M as special election

State officials claim that the recall of state Senator Josh Newman (D) will cost $931,000 if it takes place contemporaneous with the June primary and $2.67 million as a special election.

Louisiana: Lafayette City Marshall recall attempt fails; Lead petitioner jailed for bad checks from 1997

The recall attempt against City Marshall Brian Pope failed. Petitioners needed 27400 signatures and claimed they were missing 3800, though it sounds like they didn't hand any in. At the same time, Pope appears to have arrested one of the recall organizers, Steven Wilkerson, over a 20-year old warrant for bouncing less than $200 in bad checks in 1997 (the offense has a two year statute of limitations).

Pope is facing seven perjury and malfeasance charges with a trial set for February 20. Pope is alleged to have used public resources to support his candidate in the 2015 Lafayette Parish Sheriff Election (the candidate lost).

Pope also paid himself with court fees -- receiving $120,000 last year (on top of his $75,000 salary).  He apparently sought the opinion of the Attorney General's office on the fee dispute, but did not respond to the AG's office's attempt to contact him.

Wilkerson noted that he had been through multiple background checks (he is an army veteran and a law enforcement official) and the bad checks never came up.

Michigan: Algonac Mayor facing petitions

Mayor Eileen Tesch is facing petitions after a FOIA request showed that the mayor called the sheriff's deputies, allegedly to have a signature gatherers removed petitioners seeking the recall of two councilmembers, Irene Bird and Joe Nugent. Both Bird and Nugent resigned before the November recall vote.

Petitioners need about 350 signatures.

California: Newport Beach Council recall falls just short

The effort to recall Councilman Scott Peotter appears to have failed, though petitioners are asking for a recount. Petitioners handed in 10696 signatures, they needed 8445. The registrar threw out 2357 of them, leaving 8339 signatures. 205 of the signers asked to have their signatures revoked, which apparently is the difference. Peotter had submitted 1783 signature-withdrawal requests.

Peotter was targeted over his support of a condo project and his vote to decline the city's share of the state gas tax.

Monday, December 11, 2017

Alaska: Complaints against Homer City Council found without merit

Petitioners, who pushed for the recall of Council members David Lewis, Catriona Reynolds and Donna Aderhold, claimed that the council members violated the city's ethic code when they voted to certify the recall election. The complaint was found to be without merit.

California: Governor may push recall vote for state Senator to June 5 primary

Thanks to the changes in the recall law, Governor Brown may push the recall against Senator Josh Newman (D) to the June 5 primary date. The Secretary of State did not certify the voter signatures 180 days before the primary, so it can be pushed to that date instead of a special election date.


Michigan: One Saugatuck Trustee recall petition approved, three others rejected as unclear

Trustee Roy McIlwaine is facing petitions, while the commission is now hearing the recall petitions for Clerk Brad Rudich, Lori Babinski and Trustee Douglas Lane. The issue was a vote to fire the township manager and fire code issues.

Sunday, December 10, 2017

Nevada: National Republican Group gave $160,000 to Senator Farley recall effort

The Republican State Leadership Committee has donated $160,000 for failed recall attempt of state Senator Patricia Farley (I). The petitioners reported that they got less than a third of the 7107 signatures needed to get on the ballot, which would work out to be more than $60 a signature. However, the Farley recall committee donated $25,000 to the recall of Senator Nicole Cannizzaro (D) and nearly $28,000 to the recall of Senator Joyce Woodhouse (D). Both of those recalls are now in the signature verifying stages.

The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee donated a $1 million to defend against the recalls.

Michigan: Language submitted for third time in Saugatuck Township recall

Petitions were submitted for the third time against Treasurer Lori Babinski, Clerk Brad Rudich and Trustee Douglas Lane over a vote to reprimand the Township Manager in a closed session. A fire captain asked the board to remove the Town Manager for his interpersonal skills/anger management, but the board voted to reprimand.

The language for the petitions were rejected twice before.

North Dakota: New England Councilman facing recall effort

Councilman Tom Gorek is facing a recall effort over animal regulations that were passed by the council. Petitioner would need 30 signatures to get on the ballot.

San Francisco: Cannabis regulation leads to threats of recall against San Francisco mayor

Mayor Ed Lee, who was targeted for a failed recall campaign in the past, is now facing threats from a conservative group called the "Chinese Tea Party" over the law laying out cannabis regulation in the city.

Friday, December 8, 2017

Massachusetts: Sherborn votes down recall law

A petition to put in place a political recall law was defeated, though there is no word on the vote total (it was opposed by Selectmen beforehand). A second vote, on a malfeasance standard recall requiring a violation of state ethics code, felony conviction or missing more than 1/3rd of meetings was beaten 81-28. However, there was discussion on revisiting recalls in the future.

Michigan: Adams Township Board targeted in recall effort

The entire Adams Township Board, including Supervisor Fred Fowler, Clerk Michelle Ginolfi, Treasurer Patricia Williams and Trustees Duane Chase and Larry Mayhew, are facing petitions from someone who was ordered to remove junk cars from his driveway or face a fine. Petitioner would need 204 signatures for each.

Update: A split result -- Fowler (324-245 to Mark Nichols), Chase (304-270 to Randy Johnson) and Mayhew (313-270 to Jason Griffiths) all lost their seats. Ginolfi (323-264 to Maria Davis) and Williams (311-271 to Dennis McClain II) both survived the recall vote.  Nichols was one of the leaders of the recall effort after he received a fine.

Florida: Madeira Beach City Commission recalls move to next step, with other commissioners facing potential efforts

The recalls against Commissioners John Douthirt and Nancy Oakley over the anti development stance are moving to the written defense stage. Mayor Maggi Black, who is facing her own recall effort, is debating whether to help recall commissioners Nancy Hodges and Terry Lister. Petitioner would need about 496 signatures.

Thursday, December 7, 2017

California: Dublin Councilman and School Board member facing recall efforts over school overcrowding and high density housing

Councilman Abe Gupta and School Board member Dan Cunningham are facing recall threats over school overcrowding issues and a plan to build more high density housing. Petitioners need 5800 signatures to get on the ballot.

Michigan: Whitehall Mayor Pro-Tem facing recall effort

Mayor Pro-tem Ellie Dennis is facing a recall effort over claims of Open Meetings Act violation. The issue was a motion to hold a secret, paper ballot vote for the appointment of the maor and the mayor pro-tem position.

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Michigan: Signatures to be handed in against Wayne Councilman over move to change city elections to even years

About 1400 signatures are scheduled to be turned in against Councilman Chris Sander, with petitioners needing 1183 valids. Signatures were also collected against three other officials, Mayor Susan Rowe and councilmembers Ryan Gabriel and Anthony Miller, though petitioners claim they don't have enough to get those on the ballot.

The issue was a vote to extend their time in office as municipal elections were moved to even years.

California: Three San Juan Capistrano council members facing recall efforts

Mayor Kerry Ferguson and Councilmembers Derek Reeve and Pam Patterson are all facing recall petitions, though all are in the last year of their terms.

Ferguson and Reeve are facing recall threats over a commercial development project. Patterson is facing a recall over an "illegal referendum" to overturn the approval of a different development project which ended in a settlement that may cost the city $1 million.

Petitioners need 38444 signatures to get each recall on the ballot.

Update: The effort was withdrawn.

Texas: Signature requirement met in Garland Councilwoman recall

Councilwoman Anita Goebel may be facing a recall vote as officials claim that enough valid signatures were handed in to get a recall on the ballot over a vote to take down an armory building and replace it with a skate park. Goebel's term runs out in May, which is when the recall would be set to take place.

Massachusetts: Three Stoughton Selectmen kicked out

Chairman David "Spanky" Sousa (55% against)  and Selectman Robert Cohn (52.4 % against) and Peter Brown (52.5) were all kicked out in a recall today. Christine Howe, Stephen Cavy and Rick Hill replace each of them respectively. Turn out was a little under 20%.

The issue was a claimed failure to evaluate the contract of the former town manager, who is suing the town for wrongful termination and behaving disrespectfully.

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Taiwan: NPP lawmaker facing December 16th vote

This is the recall against Huang Guo-Chang -- interestingly, Taiwan law bans poll numbers being released after the 6th, activities have to be limited and there is no social media campaigning allowed.

Florida: Nearly 8600 Riviera Beach City Council recall signatures thrown out over date claims

This one is pretty crazy. About 8600 signatures were tossed out in the recall attempt against Riviera Beach City Council members Terence Davis (2880 handed in), Lynne Hubbard (2857 handed in) and Dawn Pardo (2870 signatures in). Only two total signatures were allowed for the recall, which was over a vote to fire the city manager. The Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections did not respond to reporters, but sent a note to a signer and petitioner that some of the petitions were signed outside of the the 30 day window -- though it seems like that is only 17 signatures.

Michigan: Albion recall leader previous jailed for threatening to poison water supply

The leader of the recall effort against Mayor Garrett Brown has had numerous issues with the law, including threatening to poison the water supply due to an unfavorable ruling in a child custody dispute, which led to a 30 month prison sentence. The recall is over the City Manager's resignation (which was then rescinded).

Sunday, December 3, 2017

California: Adelato Mayor Pro Tem facing recall threats following arrest on bribery/arson charges

Mayor Pro Tem Jermaine Wright is facing ouster threats -- including a potential recall -- after he was arrested for allegedly accepting bribes and "asking an undercover FBI to burn down his restaurant so he collect insurance payments."

City officials are first looking to declare the seat vacant because he hasn't shown up in 60 days.  However, there is also talk of a recall, which would need more than 2000 signatures.

Nevada: Recall effort against state Senators still tied up with questions of signature verification

The recall effort against Senator Nicole Cannizzaro has now taken a turn as the Secretary of State has called on Clark County Registrar of Voters to verify the 1273 signatures that ask to be removed from the recall petitions before deciding how to move forward. Democrats have criticized the "improvised interpretation" and blamed the fact a partisan bias on the part of the Republican Secretary of State.

California: Los Angeles Councilman recall effort back to stage one

The effort to recall Councilman Mike Bonin over a traffic reconfiguration has to be restarted after the paid advertisement failed to include a signed affidavit that all the facts contained in the recall are true. Petitioners now have to restart the effort.

California: Napa Valley School District recall fails

The recall effort against seven school board members failed, with no signatures handed in.

Saturday, December 2, 2017

Wisconsin: Onalaska School District board member kicked out in recall

School Board member Jake Speed lost his recall 1408-95, with former board member Deanna Verdon replacing him. Speed was censured by the board members for being confrontational, and he claimed the school district spent illegally spent $3500 on attorney's fees, while claiming that he filed complaints with the FBI and the DA.

He won office challenging the validity of the nomination papers of incumbents, who were tossed out, leaving him as the only name on the ballot. Speed was the La Crosse Tea Party founder.

Texas: Garland City Council group hands in signatures

1025 signatures were handed in against Councilwoman Anita Goebel over her vote to tear down a former Texas Air National Guard Armory to make a park. Petitioners need 800 signatures.

Tennessee: Etowah City Commissioner recall effort ended

The recall effort against City Commissioner Roby Helm ended. The recall was over claims he had harassing and bullying behavior.

Washington: State Supreme Court denies motion to reconsider whether Black Diamond Councilwoman recall had enough signatures

The Supreme Court had previously struck down one of four of the charges in the recall effort against Councilwoman Pat Pepper, which King County Election then held that petitioners needed to recollect signatures (they handed in 639, they needed 366).

California: Appellate Court rejects Santa Clara Judges attempt to stop recall for June ballot

An appellate court rejected the attempt by Judge Aaron Persky to block the signature drive (the decision has no comment). Petitioners claim they already have 76,000 signatures and should get to 90,000. They need 58,634 by January 16.

Wisconsin: St. Francis Mayor facing petitions over industrial barrel reconditioning plant

Mayor CoryAnn St. Marie-Carls is facing a second petition in two years. The issue is health and smell concerns from an industrial barrel reconditioning plant. Petitioners need 1154 signatures to get on the ballot.

Michigan: Algonac Mayor facing recall attempt -- third against member of the council this year

Mayor Eileen Tesch is facing a recall attempt over a claim that she called the police to prevent signature gathering on recall efforts against council members Irene Bird and Joe Nugent (both of whom resigned rather than face a recall vote). Tesch was not able to face a recall effort until recently, as she just started her second year (there is a one year grace period).

Tesch was already facing challenges for the removal of a city manager and a change in the planning commission.

Friday, December 1, 2017

Massachusetts: Stoughton Recall expecting low turnout

The recall of Selectman David Sousa, Robert Cohn and Peter Brown may have low turnout of 10%, with only 168 absentee ballot requests out there.