Ohio: East Cleveland Mayor facing December 5 vote

East Cleveland Mayor Brandon King is facing a recall election on December 5, though the story has been confusing.

King survived a vote last year by 19 (or perhaps 8) votes. The story is a bit confusing, though it sounds like petitioners handed in enough signatures to get a recall on the ballot (they gave in 796 and had 417 valids and need 396 -- though I'm uncertain about those numbers). 

The recall is over a kitchen sink of complaints, including a budget deficit, indicted police, corruption and "tall grass." City Council President Juanita Gowdy would automatically replace King.

While King survived last year's vote, East Cleveland Councilman Ernest Smith was removed. At that time, the city council appointed three different people to fill the seat that was opened with the recall of Ernest Smith (never got a clear answer on the legality of the law director's attempt to stop the recall of King, though he survived the vote anyway). Three council members appointed Lateek Shabazz (quoted in the story about the King recall. to fill the board seat, but that was found to violate the open meeting laws. The City Council President then appointed Jackie Goodrum, who was ineligible as she is a public employee. Finally, Mark McClain was appointed.