Florida: Kenneth City mayor facing petitions

Petitions are out for a recall of Kenneth City Mayor Robert Howell over staff resignations. The lead petitioner is Jeffrey Pfannes, who Howell beat in the 2021 election. Petitioners need 306 signatures. Other elected officials are not eligible for recalls due to grace periods.

Wisconsin: Orfordville Village President facing a solo recall vote after previous president resigned

Orfordville Village Board President Dennis Burtness is facing a recall vote tomorrow, though the signatures were handed in against previous President Gary Phillips. Phillips resigned in the face of a recall election (after signatures were handed in), so Burtness will be on the ballot, though he is the only person running.

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

Ballotpedia Mid-Year Recall Report now out

The invaluable mid-year report from Ballotpedia is out, and they cite 240 officials facing a recall, a drop from the 263 last year. Right now, they have 20 removed, 16 recalls failed and 9 resignations. 

Michigan, which was a recall leader prior to its change in the law in 2012, is back in the game, as the leading state.

Canada: Discussion of recall law for Ontario

There is now discussion to adopt a recall law for Ontario, following sanctions against Hamilton Councillor Terry Whitehead for harassment of staffers as others (the second time he's been penalized). 

California: San Francisco School Board restores merit based system for Lowell High School

Quick impact of the recall, as one of the big issues that pushed the recall has been reversed. 

California: Governor Newsom getting into the national conversation

Once again, winning a recall can be helpful in getting into the national conversation.

Colorado: Loveland debating new disclosure rules for recalls

Loveland is debating its disclosure rules for recall petitions, which would limit petition statements to 200 words, allow a 300 word rebuttal from incumbents and require city clerks to provide a cost estimate (with indirect costs thrown in there) for a recall.

There was a recall effort against Loveland City Council member Don Overcash over his alleged support for developers and votes against motions to discuss potential health impacts ofoil and gas development. Overcash had previously faced a recall effort over an In-N-Out Burger drive-thru and being allegedly hostile to the mayor and two other councilors. No word on what happened with that. 

Kentucky: Recall effort against property taxes in LaRue County

A different type of recall election, as a property tax increase for LaRue County School is facing a recall effort. Over 725 valid signatures were handed in for the effort. 

UK: Conservative MP facing inquiry, may lead to recall effort

UK MP David Marburton (Conservative) is facing an inquiry over claims of sexual harassment and cocaine use (as well as an undisclosed loan). If Marburton is suspended for 10 or more sitting days, than a recall can be started (with 10% of signatures).

Colorado: Recall against 12th Judicial District Attorney (Alamosa/San Luis County) makes the ballot

The recall against Alamosa/12th Judicial District Attorney Alonzo Payne has gotten to the ballot. Petitioners handed in 5974 signatures, with 4757 being declared valid. They needed 3996. An election date will be set in the future.

The recall effort is over complaints of being soft on crime (not pursuing charges on large drug busts and not following up with crime victims on plea deals, as required by law), so a bit along the lines of the Boudin/Gascon recall efforts in California. The petitions were taken out by Alamosa Mayor Ty Coleman. 

California: Proposed recall "reform" ballot measures floundering in state legislature

The San Francisco Chronicle's Bob Egelko provides a look at the proposed ballot measures to revamp or neuter recall laws and see that they seem to be going nowhere. 

The measure sponsored by State Senator Josh Newman would remove special elections (unless it is in the first 14 months of a term) and create an automatic replacement model for the governor and other officials (with the governor appointing lower level successors).

A second measure, by Senator Ben Allen, would allow the official to run in the replacement race (which we've seen in Massachusetts).  

The Assembly passed a bill sponsored by Steve Bennett which only targets local jurisdictions and would allow local laws to govern the replacement choice (appointment or special elections). Places with their own charter (like SF) would not be hit by this law (which still must pass the Senate).

Update: Los Angeles Times' Mark Barabak has another take on the proposed changes.

California: Los Angeles District Attorney signature total tops 566,857 needed to get to the ballot

Petitioners now claim to have more than 566,857 signatures to get the recall of Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon. This is what is needed to get on the ballot (though, as I've mentioned, they need many more signatures than that). They have until July 6 to get the signatures in. Petitioners are apparently paying $8 per signature and are shooting for 650-700K -- they will likely need the higher amount to hope to get on the ballot (though I'm now wondering how the random sampling changes the odds).

I've talked about some of the issues in the LA Times as well.

California: More on the Boudin recall

So much more out on the SF District Attorney Chesa Boudin recall, including the fact that the vote total has shrunk to 55% against. Prop. C is close to 58% no (and more people voted against that than against Boudin). Neither totals are expected to change the final result of Boudin being ousted.  

Here's a Law360 article looking at the legal impact, and article on the role of Asian voters in the ouster of Boudin and the school board members and what it could be mean for other prosecutors around the country.

New York: GOP proposed Constitutional Amendment for recall of District Attorneys

Republican legislators proposed a Constitutional Amendment to allow recalls of district attorneys in New York, which comes off the recall of San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin. The proposal will not being moving forward. 

Illinois: Circuit Court Judge rules against Dolton Mayor recall effort; Holds that Clerk must not count votes in June 28 recall election

A Cook County Circuit Court Judge has ruled in favor of efforts to stop the recall election against Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard, which is set for a June 28 recall vote. The judge has ordered the clerk to not count the vote (early voting started on July 13) in two recall ballot measures (one asks for a recall law, the other calls for Henyard to face a recall vote immediately). The issue seems to be that the measures are taking place at the same time, which is extremely odd.

The recall does not seem to have signatures handed in, but was rather put on the ballot by the village board. 

Henyard faced a previous recall effort when she served as trustee, leading to an appellate court decision that the board cannot remove the official by a board vote but can have a recall. 

The recall is over a slew of complaints: taking a Township Supervisor job that pays $250,000 which seen as a conflict of interest; keeping the board from meeting, paying bills and refusing to show what is being paid, as well as hiring a code enforcement officer who spent 24 years in prison for kidnapping and sexual assault. 

Virginia: Portsmouth Council members facing petitions

Portsmouth Vice Mayor De'Andre Barnes and Councilmember Mark Whitaker are facing petitions over a vote to fire the city manager and replace her with the former police chief.

It looks like the petitioners need 4510 signatures (10% of turnout) to get on the ballot.

Colorado: Woodland Park School Board members facing petitions

Woodland Park RE-2 School Board President David Rusterholtz, Vice President David Illingworth II and Director Suzanne Patterson are facing petitions over complaints about approving a charter for a new Academy in the district. The claims include violations of open meeting laws. 

Petitioners need about 3000 signatures each by the end of July. 

Washington: Lewis County Republican Chairman facing petitions

Lewis County Republican Chairman Brandon Svenson (who is the Mayor of Winlock) is facing a recall vote on July 11. Party leadership had previously called for Svenson's resignation. Svenson wore a T-Shirt for Lewis County Sheriff's Rob Snaza's re-election while arguing with another candidate for the position. Petitioners need a majority of the vote, but most also have a quorum of 40% of committee officers.

Michigan: White Pigeon Village President facing petitions

Petitions have been taken out against White Pigeon Village President Tyler Royce, with the petitions passing the factual/clarity test and being approved by the Electoral Commission. The issue is claims that Royce used municipal equipment and employees for personal work (something called a "Ditch Witch"). Royce's supporters claim that the item was rented from the county for $100. 

Petitioners need 108 signatures in 60 days.

Wisconsin: Morgan Town Board Recall set July 12

The recall of Morgan Town Board Chair Fran Wranosky and Supervisor Leonard Wahl over a proposed solar power facility is scheduled for July 12. If multiple candidates run, the recall will be a primary, with a final election held on August 9 (the regular election primary date). Both have been on the board for over a decade.