Some further stories on the Oakland Mayor Sheng Tao recall effort, including that the petitioners don't have any favorite in a potential replacement race (or appointment, then a race) if the recall gets to the ballot.
I would like to see if there is any thought of a counter-petition, as the state's signature strike law is in effect.
The lawsuit that is attempting to undue the 2011 law that bans public workers collective bargaining (and was part of the impetus for the Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker + Lt Gov + 13 state Senators recall efforts) is being heard by Dane County Circuit Judge Jacob Frost, who signed the recall petition. At the time, Frost was a private lawyer (he was only appointed in 2020).
The June 4th recall of Anaheim City Council member Natalie Rubalcava appears to be another union vs. union fight, based on the spending. The Unite Here union, which has been fighting for a $25 minimum wage, spent $315,000 to get the recall on the ballot and have poured in another $350,000 for the battle.
But on the other side, the Construction Unions have put in $50,000, the Police $25,000 and firefighters $7.500 in support of Rubalcava. The Orange County Employees Association and the Anaheim Municipal Employees Association both threw in $10,000. There has been $730,000 raised in her defense.
Petitioners handed in 9118 signatures, they needed 5123. The clerk checked 7693 and found 5131 valids (presumably they stopped once they were over the line), so a 66.7% valid rate.
The recall was started after a public corruption investigation report was released. The corruption claim is based on a chamber of commerce created data mining operation that allegedly gave Rubalcava a list of names and contact info taken from community outreach groups. She is also accused of giving operational direction to city staff rather than the city manager. Rubalcava was elected in 2022, and Support our Anaheim Resort, a Disney PAC, was a big supporter.
Recall efforts are being threatened against two Estes Park Town Board members, Mayor Pro Tem Marie Cenac and Trustee Kirby Hazelton. The other board members are still in a six month grace period and are not subject to the recall. The article does not note the reasons for the recall effort.
Estes Park had a recall in 2019.
Petitions have been taken out against Helena-West Helena Mayor Christopher Franklin over a "profanity-laden" video call with his daughter and niece. The city council unanimously (6-0) called for him to resign.
Petitioners have turned in over 9000 signatures for the recall Assembly Speaker Robin Vos. If it gets on the ballot, Vos could be facing the dual recall + reelection on the same day. Michigan Speaker Andy Dillion did that in 2008 (surviving both).
Petitioners, led by former Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman, are taking their second recall effort -- last time they handed in 11000.
Vos, a long-time fixture of this blog, is facing the recall over his refusal to support Trump during the attempt to overthrow the 2020 election results and the decision to drop impeachment efforts against Wisconsin's Election Commission Chair Meagan Wolfe as she has refused to push for the discredited claims of election fraud.
Vos almost lost in 2022 after refusing to back the election fraud claims. Gableman, who has previously targeted Vos (after Vos appointed him to head a committee looking at fraud), had called for his recall if he didn't support the impeachment of Wolfe.
The first recall effort failed, with the Wisconsin Election Commission announcing that the recall would have failed under either his new or old district (see below for a discussion).
The petitioners needed 6850 under the old district, and they got only 4989. In the new district, they needed 7195 and got 3053. The Wisconsin Supreme Court refused to rule on which district counted. They apparently handed in 11000.
The Daily Kos has a good explanation for the challenge of deciding what district Vos is a part of (this is after the old districts were tossed out by the State Supreme Court).
Final numbers are in and three of the four Elsie-Vinemaple Rural Fire Protection District Board members lost their recall votes, with Chair Vivian McCann (201-165) and members Staciy Morrison (192-173) and Wayne Carmichael (191-175) all ousted. Thomas Hecox (181-184) survived by three votes.
The recall was over a vote to remove the fire chief. Turnout was 52%.
One new member (Ed Van Dyke) was appointed by the County Commissioners so the board would have a quorum, and then the rest of the board would be able to appoint the other two members.
The recall election against Falcon Highlands Metropolitan District Board Members Erin Ganaway, Leo Schuhmacher and Tom Dickey has made the ballot, with a special election set to be held (by mail-in ballot) on July 16.
The issue is groundwater flooding and claims of conflict of interest with developers.
Petitioners handed in over 400 signatures. Ainsley Sinclaire and Angelinda Rush are challenging Ganaway, Bob Aamodt and Cory Nyugen are going for Shuhmacher's seat and Curtis Fletcher is challenging Dickey.
Petitioners are claiming that they have enough signatures to get the recall of Oakland Mayor Sheng Tao on the ballot.
They claim they have over 30,000 and are looking to hand in over 40,000 (which would match the amount of votes she received in the first round of her election) and need 24,638.
The big issue has been crime. Tao has fired the Oakland Police Chief and rejected three possible replacements proposed by a committee. One of the leaders of the recall effort is Alameda County Judge Brenda Harbin-Forte, who served on the Police Commission and was removed by Tao.
Oakland uses state law for the recall, which kicks the replacement decision back to the city -- and we have an interesting wrinkle in the replacement provision (Section 303), which works like this:
If the mayor is removed, the President of the Council fills the position. If it is over a year (as it is here), there is a special election within 120 days, with a potential extension of 90 days to tie it into a regularly scheduled election. They will use ranked choice.
The wrinkle is that City Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas is running for Alameda County Supervisor and she came in first in the top two race. If Fortunato Bas wins that race on November 5 (which would be the same day as the recall) and the recall succeeds, she presumably would serve as Mayor until January, when she would be replaced by... another council member? So, we may be looking at four mayors in a short time frame.
The recall effort against State Senator Aisha Wahab (D), based in Fremont, failed, with petitioners not handing in signatures. They claim that the petition-gatherers failed to sign a declaration though the Secretary of State's office said that it was not at the moment a fatal defect. Petitioners claimed that they got over 30,000 signatures, but needed 42,802, so that was a somewhat more significant problem.
The leader of the effort seems to be Ritesh Tandon, who has lost races in 2020, 2022 and 2024.
The recall seems to be about Wahab's bill that attempted to outlaw caste discrimination (the bill was vetoed by Governor Gavin Newsom). The website lists a kitchen sink of complaints, but the caste discrimination bill seems to be her most notable moment. The petitioners are claiming that they will go out again based on the kitchen sink of complaints.
Petitions have been taken out against Los Banos Councilmembers Brett Jones and Douglas Begonia.
Petitions claim that the recall is over a decision to rehire a fired city manager, raise the base pay and settle a $1.8 million lawsuit filed by the manager. There's also questions of the departure of staffers. Jones and Begonia blame a developer for leading the effort.
There are recall threats against Clinton Township Trustee Donna Hochstetler by "anti-industrial solar advocates." Hochstetler (and the other two trustees) have been neutral on the subject.
Petitioners would need 132 signatures to get on the ballot.
Petitions have been taken out against San Benito Health Care District Director Josie Sanchez.
Petitioner has been opposed to the Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital administration (which has been through bankruptcy). The petitioner, Rob Bernosky, was a Republican candidate for California Secretary of State in 2022 midterms.
Petitioner needs 2190 valid signatures in 90 days.
The recall effort against four Chester Utility District Board members Kimberly Green, Steve Voboril, Arthur Tharpe and Steve Graffweg failed. Petitioners needed 346 signatures. Petitioners handed in more than that, but has stated that the county tossed out a good number based on registrations. Voboril got 343, Tharpe got 341, Green got 337, and Graffweg got 225.
The issues was a complaint of a $1.2 million deficit and the elimination of ambulance and fire services.
A split vote in the Mineral Wells, with Mayor Pro Tem Doyle Light ousted in a May 4 recall vote, 169-109, but councilmembers Carlos Maldonado (193-257) and Jerrel Tomlin (159-200) surviving. The recall is over a water rate hike, which is designed to build a reservoir for the area.
Of particular interest is that Tomlin, like Michigan Assembly Speaker Andy Dillon back in 2008, was on the ballot twice, running for reelection and to survive the recall. Tomlin won the regular election, 183-174, so a much closer vote and a drop in support for Tomlin.
The City also adopted a law to tie the recall to a regularly scheduled (uniform) election date.
The leader of the recall, Ron Davis, ran for mayor but lost (764-1099).
Petitions have been taken out against Seaside City Councilor Steve Dillard over his proposal for age restrictions on library books.
Petitioners need 112 signatures in 90 days.
Petitions have been filed against Big Bend Village Board President Jeff Goodman and trustees Larry Long and Ellen Cole. The petition focuses on Open Meeting law violations, though it looks like the issue was a vote to eliminate the police department and use the Waukesha County Sheriff's Department instead. There is also mention that Goodman wanted his house to be detached and become part of the Village of Vernon, which he is apparently looking to do for either better EMS services or to pay less in taxes. If that is approved, he would be forced to resign.
Goodman survived a recall in 2018 over entering fire and water contract negotiations without the village president or clerk/treasurer present.
Petitioners, led by former Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman, are claiming that they will soon hand in signatures for a second recall effort against Assembly Speaker Robin Vos.
Vos, a long-time fixture of this blog, is facing the recall over his refusal to support Trump during the attempt to overthrow the 2020 election results and the decision to drop impeachment efforts against Wisconsin's Election Commission Chair Meagan Wolfe as she has refused to push for the discredited claims of election fraud.
Vos almost lost in 2022 after refusing to back the election fraud claims. Gableman, who has previously targeted Vos (after Vos appointed him to head a committee looking at fraud), had called for his recall if he didn't support the impeachment of Wolfe.
The first recall effort failed, with the Wisconsin Election Commission announcing that the recall would have failed under either his new or old district (see below for a discussion).
The petitioners needed 6850 under the old district, and they got only 4989. In the new district, they needed 7195 and got 3053. The Wisconsin Supreme Court refused to rule on which district counted. They apparently handed in 11000.
Petitioners have launched another recall effort.
The Wisconsin Election Commission previously announced that the first recall will not make the ballot, as petitioners seem to have fallen 945 signatures short.
The Daily Kos has a good explanation for the challenge of deciding what district Vos is a part of (this is after the old districts were tossed out by the State Supreme Court).
A new effort to recall Lamont Elementary School Board Trustees Gilberto Lopez Jr., Pablo Trevino, Ernesto Garay and Evelyn Velasquez is set to hand in signatures. Petitioners announced that they have over 1220 signatures and need 1165.
An earlier recall effort failed, with the County Clerk finding that not enough valid signatures were handed in.
The issue is complaints about leadership, specifically the decision to put an administrator on leave.
Here's some further details about the lawsuit filed against the Grover Beach city clerk claiming that they illegally rejected petitions in the recall effort against Grover Beach Mayor Karen Bright and Councilmembers Daniel Rushing and Zachary Zimmerman. Petitioners handed four times the required number of signatures to get the petitions. They need about 2000 signatures for Bright and Zimmerman and 500 for Rushing.
The Rushing recall appears to still be on.
The petitioners are claiming that the clerk required that the petitions remove a number of statements before they could be approved and "slow-walked" the process.
The issue seems to be a water rate increase to help a proposed recycled water project.
