Canada: Alberta Wildrose Party members facing quasi-recall petitions

A giant party-jumping effort nine y members of the Wildrose Party to the Progressive Conservatives has led to call for recalls. Alberta doesn't have a recall law (only British Columbia has the law), but the Wildrose Party was a big prominent of adding just such a provision. Recall supporters are hoping to gather enough signatures to push for officials to feel obliged to resign and face a rerun.

Former Wildrose leader Danielle Smith is the big target, and the Alberta's Deputy Mayor Allan Hunter is pushing for a quasi-recall of MLA Rob Anderson, Hunter is trying to get 6,000 signatures in 3 months (20%). The Wildrose Party were big supporters of the recall, a position Anderson says he still holds.

Of particular interest is this fact:

Alberta briefly had recall provisions in 1936, but the Social Credit regime repealed the legislation a year after passing it when then Premier William Aberhart was threatened with the prospect of losing his seat.

Zimbabwe: Analysis of Zimbabwe's recall

Here

Hawaii: State Representative party flip leads to renewed calls for recall law

Republican State Representative Aaron Johanson, the House Minority Leader, switched to the Democrats (the Democrats have a 44-7 edge).  Mike Palcic, who works for the state's only Republican State Senator, is the leader of Citizens for Recall. Hawaii only has a recall for local offices, not state level.

Of note:

In 1985, the Democratic Party of Hawaii successfully launched recall elections against three members of the Honolulu City Council who switched from the Democratic Party to the GOP, to align themselves with the late Honolulu Mayor Frank Fasi, who was then a Republican. The three councilmen - Toraki Matsumoto, Rudy Pacarro and George Akahane - were defeated in the recall elections by Democrats Donna Mercado Kim, Arnold Morgado and Randy Iwase.

California: NYT makes common error on Rose Bird "recall"

This article on Governor Jerry Brown's state Supreme Court appointments makes the common error that Rose Bird, Cruz Reynoso and Joseph Grodin were removed in a recall vote in 1986. They were not -- it was a mandatory retention election.

Massachusetts: Fall River recallers named "2014 newsmakers of the year" in newspaper poll

Here

Arizona: Glendale council recall fails over paid/volunteer designation

Once again, the failure to check a form stating whether petitioners were volunteers or paid gatherers seemed to have stopped the recall of Councilmember Gary Sherwood, petitioners needed 5,970 signatures. Sherwood claims that over 1,000 signatures were out of the district.

Colorado: Silverton Town Trustee facing February recall

Town Trustee Karla Safranski is up for a recall vote on February 10, though no one has stepped up to challenge her. Petitioners handed in 170 signatures against her. The issue is a push to fire the Public Works Director. 

Florida: Bradenton Beach Mayor facing petitions

Bradenton Beach Mayor William Shearon is facing petitions, led by a former city commissioner. There is already a resultion to have Shearon forfeit his office, led by the Vice Mayor. They need 100 signatures.

Since Miami-Dade had its famous recall in 2011, this fact is clearly not correct:

Removal of an elected official from office in Florida, via recall election, is rare. The removal of Anna Maria Commissioner Harry Stoltzfus in 2010 was the first-ever successful recall election in Manatee County and the first in the state since the 1970s, according to Bennett’s office.

Oklahoma: Choctaw Electric Cooperative Board facing a nine person recall

The entire nine member Choctaw Electric Cooperative board is facing a recall after an former general manger was accuse of embezzlement. They needed 1281 signatures (10%), they handed in more than 2600, and all but 342 were validated. In 1982, the entire nine-member board was recalled and removed.

The current board members are apparently able to run in a replacement race.

California: Salinas School Board trustee recall fails by 30 signatures; more than 700 invalidated

The recall of Salinas City Union Elementary School District trustee Janet Barnes failed by 30 signatures. Petitioners handed in over 3000 and needed 2291, but more than 700 were tossed out. There's some discussing on rechecking those invalidated ones. The issue was a removal of a principal. 

Colorado: KOTO Radio holding recall of three board members

KOTO Radio’s governing board, the San Miguel Education Fund, has sent ballot for the removal of board members Ray Farnsworth, Robert Allen and Joe McClure. The issue appears to be the departure of a longtime employee.

Nevada: GOP Executive Board threatens recalls for recalcitrant Assembly members

Nevada Republicans are having serious trouble since recapturing the Assembly for the first time since 1985. They have a big majority (25-17), but that is not stopping the concern that moderate caucus members will break off and join force with Democrats.The result is an executive board resolution threatening recalls for disobedient members. Nevada has a very difficult recall law, so that would be a hard push, but a state party is actually the most likely to get a recall on the ballot.

Colorado: Signatures verified for two Center School Board members

Center School Board members Phillip Varoz (438 verified/232 needed) and James Sanchez (423/163) are facing upcoming recalls after they requested the Superintendent resign.

Signatures are still being reviewed for two other board members, Barela (281) and Cendejas (109).

Nebraska: Minatare mayor up for recall on January 13

Minatare Mayor Alfred Pieper will face a January 13 recall after petitioners handed in 35% of total register voters signatures. The council would approve a replacement if Pieper is removed.

Idaho: Signatures verified against Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney

Jefferson County Prosecutor Robin Dunn is facing an upcoming recall. Petitioners handed in 3,582 signatures, of which 3246 were verified. They needed 2824. Dunn is accused of using county resources to bolster his private practice.

Michigan: Ann Arbor councilman facing three new petitions

Homeless advocates are still targeting Ann Arbor Councilman Stephen Kunselman. They have now handed in six petitions, three of which have been rejected on clarrity/factual grounds. They need 1859 signatures.

Arizona: Signatures handed in against casino approval-flipping Glenwood city councilman

Over 6,00 signatures have been handed in against City Councilman Gary Sherwood -- they need 2,752. Sherwood flipped on his support for a $400 million casino resort by the Tohono O'odham Nation.

Sherwood claims that his opponents are backed by other casinos, though that is disputed by the recall proponents.

Arizona: Golden Valley Fire District Board Director up for recall on May 19

The recall of Golden Valley Fire District Board Director Rhonda Brooks has been set for May 19. The recall was led by fellow director Steve Robinson. The article notes that they got exactly the right number. We'll have to see, but that means (as is frequently the case in Arizona) there were a lot of failed signatures -- they handed in 750 and needed only 483.

The board also addressed Brooks' refusal to turn over personal emails to friends that allegedly contain privileged executive session information. Allegations were made when information from executive sessions appeared in Facebook groups. 

The board has asked her for the emails on numerous occasions and is currently exploring legal action.

Michigan: New Buffalo Mayor slated for May 5th recall

Mayor Peter Weber will be facing the voters on May 5th over the firing of the city manager. Last year, two council members were kicked out in May.

Taiwan: Appendectomy Project targets three legislators

Petitions have been turned in by one of my new favorite names for a political movement "The Appendectomy Project." The Project handed in enough signatures for a recall of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Alex Tsai, though they are now being reviewed by the Central Election Commission. Petitioners need 13% to be handed in. They are also going after KMT legislators Wu Yu-sheng (37,469 signatures) and Lin Hong-chih (27.677).

The name Appendectomy Project was chosen because the term for pan-blue camp legislators in Mandarin Chinese, lan wei (藍委), is pronounced the same as the word for “appendix” (闌尾).
The project said it targeted the three KMT lawmakers because they adhered to President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) instructions rather than the public’s wishes