North Dakota: Dickinson Commissioner recall makes the ballot; two others fail

A recall effort effort against Dickinson Commissioner Jason Fridrich appears to have made the ballot, though the ones against Mayor Scott Decker and Commissioner John Odermann failed. There is a question on how many signatures were needed due to whether to follow the ND Code or the Home Rule Charter. Dickinson's Home Rule Charter required 15% of voters versus 25% in the state Code. The recall is over a claim that he did not properly take the oath of office.

Petitioners needed 724 for Decker and Odermann and 424 for Fridrich.

Here's an op-ed denouncing the recall effort:

What will we have achieved as a city? Nothing. What will we have gained in the process? A waste of taxpayer dollars, a black eye for the city and a dangerous precedent that personal grievances and procedural nitpicking can unseat anyone who dares to lead.

Recalls are a vital safeguard in our republic. But, like any tool, they must be used responsibly and for their intended purpose. A recall’s purpose is to protect citizens from officials who abuse their office or blatantly violate their responsibilities — not to settle petty disagreements or advance personal agendas. This recall reeks of the latter and should dishearten all of us.