Georgia: Athens Mayor, Clarke County Sheriff and Western Judicial Circuit District Attorney recall passes first stage

The recall effort against Athens Mayor Kelly Girtz, Clarke County Sheriff John Q. Williams and Western Judicial Circuit District Attorney Deborah Gonzalez has moved past the initial stage, with petitioners needing 100 signatures minimum (They handed in 159 for Gonzalez, 126 for Williams and 118 for Girtz).

Petitioners now have 45 days to collect 30% of registered voters in the last election for the office -- which will be over 5000 for each (each one has a different last election -- the DA was elected in a special election on December 1, 2020). Because this is registered voters, not turnout, having lower turnout in a special or municipal election wouldn't matter.

There are also threats of recall efforts against 10 district commissioners, though each must be launched from a petitioner in their own district. The first one, against Commissioner Melissa Link, failed as the lead petitioner does not live in that district.

The recall s over the high-profile murder of a nursing student by an undocumented Venezuelan immigrant that has grabbed national attention. Georgia is a Malfeasance Standard/Judicial Recall state, so it is not clear that they have the for cause requirement handled.

In 2019, the county issued a statement on welcoming people from all lands and backgrounds as well as denouncing white nationalists and xenophobes. The lead petitioner is apparently well known after being charged in 2016 after he allegedly "became irate when his wife put too much cheese on his grilled cheese sandwich."