Colorado: Two Dacono councilmembers kicked out in recall vote

Dacono Councilmembers Jim Turini (546-353) and Jackie Thomas (546-354) were kicked out in recall votes on June 27. The recall was over their votes to remove the city manager. 

Michelle Rogers (562 votes) and Tony Cummings (535) were elected to replace the two.

Two other councilmembers are not facing a recall effort. Kathryn Wittman is facing reelection in November and Danny Long is still in the six-month grace period.

A Dacono City Council meeting was shut down over a fight about paying for the upcoming recall vote and whether the two councilmembers hit with the recall can vote on the proposed resolution.

Washington: Lynnwood Councilmember facing petitions

Petitions are moving forward against Lynnwood Councilmember Josh Binda after a Snohomish County Judge found that the petitions met the malfeasance standard. Binda is accused of using the city's email to negotiate private speaking contracts and filming a video promoting his tour; failing to file a financial statement; using campaign funds on plane tickets and Versace clothing; lying to the council; and falling asleep and being absent from council meetings.

Petitioners need 2416 signatures (35% of turnout) to get on the ballot.

Colorado: Signatures handed in against Englewood Council member, two recall on the ballot already

Signatures have been handed in against Englewood Councilmember Cheryl Wink, which would make her the third official to face a recall if it clears the bar (petitioners need 1426 signatures to make the ballot).

Signatures have already been handed in against Englewood Councilmembers Chelsea Nunnenkamp and Mayor Othoniel Sierra, and petitioners cleared both of those, needing 342 for Nunnekamp and 458 for Sierra. An election should be scheduled between August and October.

Signatures are still outstanding against Councilmembers Joe Anderson (they need 583).

The recall effort is over a plan to allow multifamily development in a single-family zone. Sink is also facing complaints about attendance.

 Anderson succeeded a former Councilmember Laurett Barrentine, who survived a recall vote but lost reelection. 

Kansas: Petitions against Prairie Village Mayor rejected

Four attempts to recall Prairie Village Mayor Eric Mikkelson have been rejected by the Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe due to not meeting the malfeasance standard requirement. The petitions focus on some attempt to surmount the malfeasance question, but the issues seem to be a debate about housing plans. 

Idaho: Signatures handed in against two West Bonner School Board Members

Signatures have been handed in against West Bonner School Board Chair Keith Rutledge and Trustee Susan Brown over a 3-2 vote to approve the appointment of former State Senator Branden Durst as the new school superintendent, despite him not having the qualifications to serve (he needs to have worked in a school for four years -- the board declared an emergency to allow it). Durst, a former Democrat who switched parties and ran for the Republican nomination for State Superintendent (he lost). Durst is seen as part of a "far-right takeover" of the schools.

Petitioners need 243 signatures for Rutledge and 180 for Brown. The recall would take place on August 29 if verified

Idaho has a "Queen of the Hill" provision, which would required a recall to not only win the vote, but top the total number of votes in favor of the candidate in the last election. Voters need 245 votes to kick out Rutledge and 177 to remove Brown.

Michigan: Petitions language approved against two Davison School Board

Petitions have been approved against two Davison School Board Members, President Karen Conover and VP Granger Stefanko after they appointed voted to appoint former board member Diane Rhines to the school board after she lost a reelection bid. 

No word on what happened with the recall effort against Treasurer Holly Halabicky. A recall against a fourth member could not be filed due to the fact that he was in the first year grace period.

Petitioners need 4633 signatures to get on the ballot.

Davison's school board had a notable recall fight in 2022.

Massachusetts: Easthampton Mayor facing recall effort

Easthampton Mayor Nicole LaChapelle is facing a recall effort over a failed school superintendent search, as well as for sending a police officer to make a midnight job offer to a candidate's home. Petitioners need 2517 signatures in 21 days.  LaChapelle was first elected as mayor in 2017. 

There is also a recall effort against Schoolboard member Cynthia Kwiecinski.

Michigan: Petition language rejected in Allendale School Board recall

Can't open any articles, but petitions were filed and rejected against Allendale School Board members. Here's an article about the school board fight (presumably, this may be the focus of the recall effort).

Louisiana: Petitions filed against Elton Mayor

Petitions have been filed against Elton Mayor Kesia Skinner-Lemoine after an investigation by the Secretary of State of voter fraud in last November's election. The claim is that out-of-jurisdiction voters made the difference in the election.

Michigan: Petition language rejected against Scottville Mayor

A petition against Scottville Mayor Marcy Spencer was rejected on clarity/language grounds by the election commission. The recall is over her appointment to the city commission and then later to the mayoralty. Spencer lost a 2022 election, but was reappointed in December and won the mayor on January 9, 2023. 

Former Commissioner Eric Thue is leading the recall effort. Thue also lost his race in 2022.

Update: Petition language has now been approved.

Massachusetts: Dartmouth's Prudential Fire District Commissioner resigns before July 31 recall vote

Prudential Fire District 2 Committee member Robert Bouley resigned in the face of the July 31 recall vote. The election will still occur, though it is unclear if Bouley's name can be removed.

Bouley was set to face Paul Abrantes is running against him.

The recall efforts was over Bouley's push to remove the acting fire chief and refusing to interview him for the permanent position.. Numerous firefighters have already pushed for a no-confidence vote.

Petitioners handed in 236 signatures. 

Michigan: Flint Councilmember facing petitions

Petitions have been filed against Flint Councilmember Eric Mays after he was charged with disorderly conduct. Mays was escorted out of a council meeting and sentenced to six months probation.

California: Temecula School Board Members targeted with recall

Three Temecula School Board members Joseph Komorsky, Danny Gonzalez and Jennifer Wiersma are facing recall efforts over complaints about extremist views, including banning critical race theory and rejecting a textbook because of a mention of Harvey Milk as well as the firing of the superintendent. 

California: Signatures handed in against one Santa Ana City Council member facing police union-led recall effort

Signatures have been handed in for the recall of Santa Ana City Council member Jessie Lopez, with petitioners seeming to have the numbers. 6582 valid signatures were either handed in or counted (probably the first) and 5274 were needed. Additionally, 129 people asked for their name to be removed under the signature strike law. The clerk has until July 26 for the full review.

There is also a petition outstanding against councilmember Thai Viet Phan, though that isn't due until August 7.

The two are facing recall efforts led by the police union over a labor contract. The contract reportedly doesn't met the union pay-raise proposals. The recall chairman cited a 2021 rent control policy as the reason for the recall. The recall effort comes after progressives won four council seats in 2020. 

The union backed a 2020 recall vote against Council member Cecillia Iglesias, who was kicked out.

Illinois: Wood River Councilmembers facing recall threats

Wood River Councilmembers Bill Dettmers and David Ayres are facing recall threats over complaints about meetings and low turnout in the election. Due to a grace period, the petitions can't start for six months. Petitioners need 10% of turnout (or about 65 signatures) to get on the ballot.

South Dakota: Judge rules Baltic Mayor recall can move forward

A judge ruled that the recall effort against Baltic Mayor Deborah McIsaac can move forward to the signature gathering stage. Can't open the article, but the recall is over a construction project. The owner of the project claims that McIsaac and other city officials have thrown up roadblocks to stop the project from continuing. Petitioners would need 15% of registered voters in 60 days. 

North Dakota: Recall effort against Grand Forks City Council President fails

No signatures were handed in in the recall effort against Grand Forks City Council President Dana Sande. The recall was seemingly over the effort to bring a corn mill to the town (plan was killed after the Air Force called in a national security threat, due to the fact that it was owned by a China-based company and near an air force base). Petitioners need 1318 signatures. 

Petitioner Kevin Wilson is planning on running for the seat. He seems to have moved into town in June.

It seems like the last recall in the city was against Councilmember John Hoff in 2000.

Wisconsin: Taylor County Supervisor recall makes the ballot for July 18

A recall election is to be held on July 18 against Taylor County Board  of Supervisors Member Lester Lewis. Lewis represents Grover, Westboro and Molitor. Petitioners handed in more than 200 valid signatures. They needed 170. The recall is over complaints about Lewis' behavior at Veterans Service meetings. Lewis has been in office for 22 years.

Colorado: Englewood Council recall makes the ballot; 3 petitions still outstanding

The recall election against Englewood Councilmembers Chelsea Nunnenkamp is moving forward, with petitioners handing in at least 342 signatures for the recall to move forward. An election should be scheduled between August and October.

Petitions are still out against Mayor Othoniel Sierra and Councilmembers Joe Anderson and Cheryl Wink and are due by July 6. The recall effort is over a plan to allow multifamily development in a single-family zone. Anderson succeeded a former Councilmember Laurett Barrentine, who survived a recall vote but lost reelection. 

Florida: Appellate Court overturns Crescent City Commissioner recall vote

The Fifth District Court of Appeals has thrown out the recall vote against Crescent City Commissioner Cynthia Burton, more than a month after voters ousted Burton, 180-126. 

The court's decision used both substantive and procedural grounds to toss out the vote. It held that the petitions were not filed with the appropriate official (the clerk), though one of the concurrences disagrees with this position. Substantively, it held that the petitions did not meet the malfeasance standard of the law, claiming that there was no real violation of the Open Meeting Act or Sunshine Law. Generally, the Open Meeting Act violations are a popular charge in malfeasance standard recalls, so this ruling would be a blow to them, but hard to say that it would have too large an impact, as some jurisidictions in Florida have political recall laws.

The complaint over the sunshine law violation was over a vote to abolish the police department (which took place two years ago). A former mayoral candidate, Craig Oates, is leading the effort.

There was previously failed recall against another Commissioner, Judith West, over the same vote.

There is now discussion of whether Burton should be reimbursed for the costs of the recall (and presumably, legal costs as well).