Wisconsin: Charges of voter fraud against Assembly members estranged wife

Here's a charge that Republican Assemblyman Robin Vos' estranged wife voted in the recall while a resident of Idaho. Kind of doubt this has any legs, but remember that Vos was one of those complaining about widespread election fraud in the Lehman recall win.

Washington: Mount Baker School Board Member recall rejected

A Superior Court Judge tossed out the recall of Mount Baker School Board member Russ Pfeiffer-Hoyt for an alleged improper land transfer. Petitioners couldn't prove malfeasance.

Idaho: Mullan mayor, city councilor facing recall petitions

Mullan Mayor Mike Dunnigan and City Councilor Dan White are facing recall petitions. Petitioners need 77 signatures (20 % of registereds) in 75 days.


The issue is a claim that they mishandle city funds.

California: Schwarzenegger claims that recall took Karl Rove by surprise

Here. Note that Rove's position was a common and expected one. There was little reason to think the recall would get enough signatures until Darrell Issa put up the money to help push it on the ballot.

Kansas: Group starts collecting signatures for sure-to-not-reach-the-ballot Secretary of State recall

A group called Bias Busters of Kansas is starting to collect signatures to recall Secretary of State Kris Kobach. The reason is stated, but Kobach has been a lightening rod for criticism from Democrats, whether it is his immigration policy, his support for voter ID laws, his recent wavering over whether Barack Obama's name could appear on the ballot in Kansas.

Whatever the cause, the chances of a Kobach recall reaching the ballot is as close to zero as you can get. Kansas law has a malfeasance standard, so the petitioners would have to show some violation of the law or incompetence on Kobach part to get the recall on the ballot. Even if that were approved, petitioners would need 40% of turnout from the last election. Turnout in the 2010 election was about 830,000. In this case (if my math and the Kansas Election website is correct), it would be around 330,000 signatures.

Update: The AP claims that they need 83,000 signatures, but this is inaccurate. I just spoke with the Kansas Secretary of State's office and they confirmed what I wrote last night -- The law has a two stage process, with the application itself needing signatures equaling 10% of turnout. That is the 83,000 just for the application (which may very well be rejected by a judge). To get on the ballot, you need the 40% of turnout. That is on the order of 330,000 signatures.

Michigan: Troy mayor's signs look the same as recall proponents

Complaints that the mayor's supporters are using the same exact signs as the recall proponents. They certainly look exceptionally similar.

North Carolina: No recall provision in Wake County stops board of education recall attempt

Wake County Board of Education members were facing recall threats after firing the superintendent. However, recalls aren't allowed:

No counties in the state have recall provisions, and only one school system – Chapel Hill-Carrboro – has a recall provision.
Many cities do, however, including Raleigh, Durham, Carrboro and Chapel Hill.
A recall provision has to be approved by the General Assembly. So McLean pointed out that even if some parents went to Wake County legislators asking for such a provision, it would not be considered until next year.

Washington: Judge delays ruling on Pacific Mayor recall

A judge has delayed a decision on whether a recall of Pacific Mayor Cy Sun can go forward. See here for the details of the recall.

Interesting problem -- insurance carriers have cancelled the city's claiming that they need a more stable and professional environment. Petitioners are hoping that the recall will save the insurance. However, to get it done before the end of the year, they may now need to collect 4000 signatures in four days.

Just as weird, is this:

 "It’s not clear why the mayor didn’t tell his attorney about the charges. Firkins said in court that he learned about the hearing Friday from a third party."

and this:

In addition to the recall campaign and pending insurance cancellation, he was arrested trying to enter the city clerk’s office in July.

Arizona: Yuma city councilman recall abandoned, two others still in the courts

The effort to recall Yuma City Councilman Cody Beeson has been dropped. The petitioner blamed the failure of the recall against two other councilmen, Paul Johnson and Jerry Stuart, as the cause of the abandonment (those recalls failed after the clerk struck down some signatures). That decision is still in the courts.

Colorado: Petition handed in for Trindad School board president recall

Trinidad, which lost both a mayor and a city council member to recalls earlier this year, now has petitions handed in targeting the school board President Charlene Bertolino.

Petitioners say that they have the needed signatures -- they need 1,183 signatures of registered voters.

Washington: Judge to hear arguments in Mount Baker school board recall

A judge is set to hear arguments on whether to allow the recall of Mount Baker School Board member Russ Pfeiffer-Hoyt to go forward. Here's the details.

Michigan: New language submitted in Cedar Springs recall

Here

Taiwan: Discussion of a presidential recall

Here:

A recall motion cannot be brought against a president or vice president who has been in office for less than a year, according to the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act. 

Under the act, a proposal to recall the president or vice president can only be carried in the Legislature if it is proposed by at least one-quarter of the lawmakers and supported by not less than two-thirds. 

The recall motion must then be put to a public referendum and can only be adopted if at least half of the electorate votes in the poll and the proposal gains more than half of the valid ballots.

California: Fontana Mayor backs recall of two school board members

Fontana's mayor Aquanetta Warren has officially backed the recall of two School Board members, Leticia Garcia and Sophia Green. This is no surprise, as the two board members posted these two statements in a prior blog post on the recall.

New Jersey: West New York Commissioner looking to run against ex-ally in mayoral recall

Detailed story on the relationship between West New York Commissioner Count Wiley and his former ally, Mayor Felix Roque. Wiley is planning on running a recall against Roque, who was arrested this past spring. Wiley also plans to run for mayor, and has put $50,000 of his own money into the race.

Wiley helped Roque try to hold a recall against Roque's predecessor, former Mayor Sal Vega. That recall didn't get on the ballot, but Roque beat Vega in the next election.

Nebraska: Editorial calling for recall revisions

This editorial calls for a change in Nebraska law to the malfeasance standard for recalls. Worth looking at for its discussion of two recent failed recall attempts:

In April, nine citizens lead efforts to recall Kimball County Commissioners Larry Engstrom, Larry Brower and Kimball County Clerk Cathy Sibal. Seven of the petitioners were interested in seeing the county pony up big dollars to fund a motor speedway. Two of the persons seeking recall of the commissioners and county clerk had a beef with the county after it decided to end a longtime contract with an ambulance service provider and begin its own efforts to operate the service.

Just this month, a Bushnell resident filed his intent to have Kimball County Attorney Dave Wilson recalled. Wilson, who has served as county attorney for 28 years, hadn’t been doing his job, according to the resident, when he didn’t foreclose on a piece of property that the resident wanted to be developed into a convenience store. The resident had a stake in the development of the property — he said he’d be involved in the project and operate the convenience store.

Iowa: Supreme Court Justice facing retention election

This is more of a continual definitional issue.The Republican State Chairman is pushing to oust Iowa Supreme Court Justice David Wiggins in his upcoming retention election. Three Iowa Supreme Court Justice lost their retention elections in 2010 (the issue for all four was their decision to legalize same sex marriage).

The reason this is noteworthy is that judicial retention elections are frequently referred to as "recalls." This is not a new development. California Supreme Court Chief Justice Rose Bird and Justice Cruz Reynoso and Joseph Grodin were all ousted in retention elections in 1986. However, it is the wrong way to referred to it. Retention elections are mandatory and are a totally different beast that recalls.

Washington: Quilcene/Jefferson County Fire District 2 commissioners recall scheduled for November 13

The recall of two Quilcene/Jefferson County Fire District 2 commissioners, David Ward and Mike Whittaker, will take place on November 13 -- interesting that it is not on election day.

The issue (as decided by the Washington State Supreme Court) was a violation of the Open Public Meetings Act. Petitioners claim that the commissioners manipulated the meeting minutes to make it appear like they voted in a public meeting to enroll in a public pension plan.

Petitioners needed 185 signatures for ward, they turned in 240, and had 220 found valid. For Whittaker it was 199 needed, 215 handed in, and 201 verified.

Cartmel said 240 signatures were examined for Ward. Of those, 220 were valid registered voters – only 185 valid signatures were needed for the recall.

Wisconsin: La Crosse Common Council President facing petitions

La Crosse Common Council President Audrey Kaderis facing petitions. Petitioners need 158 signatures in 60 days.

Not clear what the issues are, except the push for a city administrator to take over roles of the elected mayor.

Michigan: Cedar Springs Mayor facing recall over licensing fee question

Cedar Springs Mayor Charlie Watson is facing recall petitions, with the language for the petition being voted on.
Petitioners need 170 signatures (25% of votes for governor)
The issue is a bit different than most: The Red Flannel Festival has a trademark on their logo. The festival requested the City pay a $4000 licensing fee, but the City refused, claiming they used the logos for identification for 70-plus years. The Red Flannel Festival claimed trademark infringement. The city council voted 6-1 to stop using the logo. Watson voted to stop using the logo, and is being targeted (though the other five officials aren't).