South Carolina: Times and Democrats suggest recall should be considered

They get the facts wrong, saying "Nineteen states and the District of Columbia give voters recall-voting power but such elections are rarely successful."

Arizona: Battle lines form in the Pearce recall

Here

California: Women accused of forging signatures in San Jacinto City Council recall

This from the removal of four city councilmembers last May.

Wisconsin: More on the campaign spending boom

Here

Michigan: Signatures turned in for Genesee Township recalls

Effort is targeting five township supervisors

Arizona: Pearce's survival instinct

Columnist looks at Pearce's previous political troubles and his ability to surmount them.

Wisconsin: Ads are straightforward political pitches

Rather than tie their recall to interest groups, this article notes that the ads are straightforward partisan pitches.

South Carolina: Forget adding a recall, eliminate the LG's office

Editorial by the top newspaper attacks the idea of a recall; suggests getting rid of the Lieutenant Governor's office.

Alaska: Houston Mayor survives recall vote

102-50 with absentee ballots left to be counted.

Australia: South Australia looking at modified recall law

This proposed recall law in South Australia one would be tough to get on the ballot -- 150,000 signatures in a month. But it would be a government-wide no-confidence vote, resulting in a full scale election.

Missouri: Lebanon mayor facing recall next week

Looks like a big day for small towns with big names. Lebanon, Missouri's mayor will be facing a recall next Tuesday. Once again, the Police Chief hiring and firing is one of the issues involved.

Alaska: Houston Mayor faces recall vote

Looks like this is the third mayor of Houston, Alaska to face a recall (or in one case, resign before a recall) in the last five years.

California: Angels Camp City Council

Recall petitions filed in Angels Camp Council -- 35 signatures handed in, only needed 20

Look at Voter Turnout in the Two Wisconsin Primaries

A great piece by Craig Gilbert of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel comparing the voter turnout in the different primary races. It should be noted that the turnout is (except in one case) for primaries, so you would expect it to be lower than for the general. However, the turnout is quite high for a recall. Gilbert makes a number of comparisons to Wisconsin (including the Gary George recall which had 8% turnout -- though Gilbert told me that it was in a low-turnout area).

In other states, we've seen recall turnout appear very low, including in the hotly contested Michigan recalls of 1983 and the California ones of 1994-5. It may be that the Wisconsin recalls are that special event --like the Gray Davis recall -- that could result in higher turnout than in a regular general election.

South Carolina: Legislature considers adopting recall to remove Lt. Gov.

The state legislature is considering adopting the recall for "constitutional officers." The impetus is Lt. Gov. Ken Ard who is facing a host of ethics charges.

California: Recreation and Parks district members facing petitions

This is in Bay Point, three members of the Ambrose Recreation and Parks District. The Contra Costa Times:

The latest blowup in a long-running conflict between Mason and the board came over the trustees' decision last month to end a contract to run after-school programs in Bay Point.

The move resulted in the layoff of Mason's wife, Debra, who had founded the state-funded After School Education and Safety program in Bay Point in the late 1990s and the loss of jobs for program contractors who were under 18.

Wisconsin -- Petitions handed in for Ashland Mayor recall

Handed in 913 signatures, need 789 to get on the ballot. A number of City Councillors seem to be backing this, complaining about transparency and civility.

North Dakota -- Emerado Mayor recalled

Mayor of Emerado,North Dakota  Brent Aspinwall was recalled and removed by four votes. He is replaced by Dan Henneman. Apparently, those four votes are enough not to need a recount in the town of 400. The preceptating factor is said to be the resignation of the police chief.

Louisiana Recall of Opelousas Alderman gets off the ground:

Alderman is in a strange fight with the Mayor. Needs 600 signatures.

Wisconsin: Election names new mayor

Thorp elected a new mayor (he received 80 of 92 votes). The previous one resigned in the face of a recall, due to domestic violence arrests.