Minnesota: Robbinsdale City Council member resigns

Robbinsdale City Council member Tyler Klin has resigned after signatures were verified in the recall effort against him. Klin was charged with drunk driving and fleeing police. The election was scheduled for Election Day in November. It sounds like Klin will be replaced in a special election.

Former Mayor Regan Murphy lead the petitions, which needed 654 signatures in 30 days. 730 were submitted. As Minnesota is a malfeasance state, they need approval to move forward, though I don't see a reference to any case. 

Oregon: Nestucca School Board recall effort fails

The recall effort against Nestucca Valley School Board members Bill Hagerty, Diane Boisa and Shane Stuart failed, with petitioners not handing in the needed 375 valids. The board was seemingly targeted due to its support for restrictions to combat the spread of the coronavirus pandemic and general "critical race theory" complaints.

Canada: Recall effort started against British Columbia MLA

British Columbia MLA Harwinder Sandhu (Vernon-Monahsee) is facing a recall effort led by one of the Ottawa trucker protestors. The issue is complaints over restrictions put in place to combat the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Petitioners would need signatures of 40% of turnout in 60 days.

California: Corona-Norco School Board Member facing petitions

Corona-Norco School Board Member Jose Lalas is facing a recall effort over his support for vaccine mandates to combat the spread of the coronavirus, as well as claims of critical race theory. Petitioners would need 6916 signatures by September 2. Lalas has been on the board since 1990.

New Jersey: Hoboken Councilman facing recall efforts

Hoboken Councilman Phil Cohen is facing a recall effort over claims of promoting special interests. There seems to be questions about how the particulars would work, though the signatures required would be 25% of turnout in 160 days). 

The article also looks at some of the recent recall efforts in Hudson County. 

California: Almost $9 Million raised for both sides of SF District Attorney recall

Almost $9 million has been raised on the recall of San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin, with $6M going to the recall campaign and $2.7M for Boudin's defense. 

Mission Local's Joe Eskenzai looks at the reason (or lack thereof) for the Boudin recall and what it says about SF politics. 

Florida: Push continues to add recall law for Brevard County school board

A push is going on to enact a recall law for school board members in Brevard County. Public Defender Blaise Trettis is leading the effort, which was rejected by the charter commission.  School board members are the only county elected officials not covered by the recall law.

Texas: Signatures handed in against Denton City Council member

Petitioners appear to have turned in enough signatures for the recall of Denton City Council member Alison Maguire. The recall effort began when Maguire used a meme (Who killed Hannibal?) to complain about the leadership of the County Transportation Authority. Previous articles noted that the recall is part of redistricting which turned it into a more conservative district. Petitioners needed 673 signatures to get on the ballot.

Former Councilmember Dan Duff lead the recall effort. The article also noted that there are complaints about signature gathering too close to the polls, though it is unlikely much will come of that.  

Minnesota: Recall of Robbinsdale City Council member makes the ballot

Signatures have been verified in the recall effort against Robbinsdale City Council member Tyler Kline, after he was charged with drunk driving and fleeing police. The election will be on Election Day in November.

Former Mayor Regan Murphy lead the petitions, which needed 654 signatures in 30 days. 730 were submitted. As Minnesota is a malfeasance state, they need approval to move forward, though I don't see a reference to any case. 

Wisconsin: Green Bay Mayor recall effort fails

The recall effort against Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich (D) failed, seemingly with no signatures to be handed in. The recall was over accepting donations from a nonprofit to help the city run elections to the coronavirus pandemic. This appears to be part of a nationwide effort to attack election administrations. 

The recall effort is led by David VanderLeest, who lost a State Assembly race in 2012 to Genrich. VanderLeest also ran (and lost) against State Senator Dave Hansen (D) in the 2011 recall.

Petitioners would need over 9700 signatures to get to the ballot.

Wisconsin: Orfordville Village President resigns in face of recall vote

Orfordville Village President Gary Phillips resigned in the face of a recall election (after signatures were handed in). The issue seemed to be charges of overreaching into police department matters, which led to the resignation of the police chief. The replacement race will be held on June 28.

California: Laguna Woods HOA holding upcoming recall vote

Laguna Woods's Third Laguna Hills Mutual (an HOA) will have an upcoming recall election against Board Members Robert Mutchnick and Lynn Jarrett, with a result scheduled for June 3 Mutchnick is running in the replacement race, along with N. Cris Prince, Karen Shore and Jules Zalon.  

Minnesota: Signatures verified in Two Harbors Mayor recall

It looks like the recall of Two Harbors Mayor Chris Swanson has gotten to the ballot after an earlier issue to the first signature gathering efforts. Petitioners handed in 618 signatures and have 532 valids, they needed 498. The recall is still to be scheduled.

Petitioners previously gathered signatures, claiming they had 970 signatures for the recall, but they pulled those petitions over a lawsuit that would have removed the anonymity for any signers. The suit sought to require the signatures be revealed. 

The recall is seemingly over claims that Swanson used a podcast to discuss an underwater hotel in Lake Superior, thereby using his title as mayor to attract investors, and plans to fund city projects with cryptocurrency. 

There is a separate suit by a Republican County official asking the recall to be tossed out over Minnesota's strict malfeasance standard/judicial recall rules, which has led nearly all petitions (but one!) that I've seen have been rejected at that stage. The City Attorney wrote an opinion that he used the position for personal benefit, which could allow them to overcome the malfeasance standard. Interesting provision in the charter -- if there are less than two years in the term, the council appoints a replacement. If there are more, than there is a special election. 

California: LA County Supervisor backs DA recall effort

Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger has announced that she is backing the recall effort against District Attorney George Gascon over reports on his zero-bail policy.

California: Polls show District Attorney in trouble; Editorials on Proposition C

New polls have shown that San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin is behind in the recall effort. The SF Chronicle also compiles a list of leading replacement possibilities if Boudin loses the seat. 

There are also dueling editorials on Proposition C, of which I will have quite a bit more to say in an op-ed (hopefully out next week). The San Francisco Chronicle opposes the measure, though it is focused on the fact that it bars replacements from running for election to the seat. The Chronicle also agrees with the proposal's plan to increase the grace period in which a recall would not be allowed from 6 months at the beginning of the term to 12 months, as well as 18 months at the end of the term.

The SF Examiner's editorial is in favor of the Proposition. 

Louisiana: State Representative flip-flop leads to suspension of recall effort

Louisiana State Representative Joe Stagni (R) was facing a recall threat after he voted to sustain a veto of an anti-transgender sports measure (which he has since voted in favor of) as well as not supporting a petition against the governor's emergency powers during the pandemic. The group leading the effort, called RINO Recall, said they are suspending the effort due to his flipping positions.

Michigan: Flint School Board President facing recall threats; petition language rejected

A recall petition against Flint Board of Education President Joyce Ellis-McNeal was rejected for language clarity issues. The recall claims Ellis-McNeal violated policy by voting to reopen contracts. It is not clear who originated the recall. Ellis-McNeal only became the president recently, after previous president Danielle Green was charged with assaulting another board member during a meeting.

UK: Labour threatens to recall MP after harassment conviction

The Labour Party is threatening to launch a recall against MP Claudia Webbe (formerly Labour, now independent) if she does not resign her seat. Webbe received a suspended sentence after she was convicted of harassment for calling her partner's friend and threatening her with acid (and also to release naked pictures and videos of the friend). Webbe is appealing the conviction.

The UK's Recall Law requires a conviction to be used (if the sentence if more than a year, than the MP is automatically expelled, but there was no jail time here). Petitioners would need the signatures of 10% of registered voters in six weeks.

Webbe replaced Keith Vaz as MP. Vaz also was a potential candidate for recall. 

California: Three Willows officials facing recall efforts

Willows Mayor Larry Domenighini, Vice Mayor Garry Hansen and Councilmember Kerri Warren are facing recall efforts over a sewer rate increase on multi-family units and complaints about spending. Petitioners need 768 signatures, with a deadline of May 23 for Domenighini and Hansen and May 28 for Warren.

California: San Diego County Supervisor recall fails

The recall effort against San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer (D) failed. The recall was over her support for efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic. Petitioners needed over 40,000 signatures by May 12. Petitioners handed in less than 400.