Navajo Nation: President of Tiis Tsoh Sikaad Chapter removed

The results show that Perry Begay Sr. took the race 68 to 55 for Raymond Anderson. Former President Lester Begay, who was removed in May, got 48 votes.

Wisconsin: Cleveland Supervisor facing recall -- frac sand mining again at issue

First-term Cleveland Town Board Supervisor Joe Egloff is facing an August 12 recall after 95 signatures were handed in against him. Petitioners needed 52 signatures.

The recall is supposedly about open-meeting violations and economic development, though it sounds like Egloff's votes against a frac mine rezoning is the issue. Already, Wisconsin has had two separate fracking recalls:

Bridgeport, where both Board Chairman John Karnopp (207-116) and Supervisor Mike Steiner (223-102) survived recall votes (I just noticed this one had a decision, possibly due to the fact that there were three cities named Bridgeport facing recall issues at approximately the same time);  In December, Glenwood officials survived a frac sand recall vote.

Additionally, the mayor of Red Wing, Minnesota resigned in the face of recall threats after it was revealed that he was a lobbyist for frac sand companies. Fracking has also been mentioned as a cause for attempted recalls in Louisiana and New Mexico.

California: Moreno Valley Recall scheduled for November

Here -- they are also discussing changing the city's election law to allow for citywide election of the mayor. Further fallout from their earlier recall of the mayor (the ex-Mayor Tom Owings is a big backer of the citywide election provision).

California: Salinas City Trustee facing recall

Salinas City Trustee Janet Barnes is facing a recall over her support for the district Superintendence (who was chosen by a 3-2 vote, and opposed by the Teachers Council). Barnes was appointed to the board in 2013. No word  on how many signatures are needed.

Washington: Snohomish County Prosecuting Attorney facing petitions

Snohomish County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Roe is facing a recall petition by a serial filer. The petition claims that Roe mishandled a 2009 assault case. 

Roe is up for re-election in November, which should kill the recall attempt -- he can;t be recalled within 6 months of the next election. Roe was also not serving in the prosecutor position when in 2009 (he was a deputy), under state law, he can't be brought up except for things that happened during his tenure.

Arizona: Golden Valley Fire district recall started

Interesting fight here -- Golden Valley Fire District Director Steve Robinson took out a recall against fellow director Rhonda Brooks, and the Fire Chief Tom O'Donohue was the first signer.

The petitioner claims that Brooks was trying to force O'Donohue out, as well alienating directors, filing complaints on open meeting violations, refusing to fulfill public records requests and disclosing confidential info. She also is accused of trying to cancel out-of-district contracts and stop an attempt to start an ambulance service by giving confidential info to a competitor.

Petitioners need 483 signatures by August 4 to get on the November ballot.

North Carolina: Morganton Mayor recall fails to get the signatures.

The attempt to recall Morganton Mayor Mel Cohen over a utility deposits bill failed, with petitioners not handing in any signatures. They needed 2,228 and had a year to get it. Petitioner showed the News Herald that he had 1800 and claimed that he stopped collecting in December due to a change in election law, which he thought would cost 

Omer is talking about the N.C. legislature passing House Bill 1158, which amended the city’s charter to change the city’s election method from a runoff to a plurality election and moves the election from October to the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The law also changed the time period a petitioner has to gather required signatures from one year to 30 days and a required 25 percent of registered voters’ signatures. The new bill became law June 19.

Arizona: Maricopa councilman recall fails

The attempt to recall Maricopa councilman Bridger Kimball, who was arrested for a DUI in 2012 (and pled guilty in 2013), failed, with petitioners not getting anywhere near the 850 signatures (they claim they got about 300). The effort was led by former councilman Leon Potter, who also dropped a bid for the mayoralty.

Idaho: Parma mayor resigns in face of recall

Parma Mayor Bob Flowers resigned following the filing of a recall petition against him on June 6. Four of the six city council members signed the petition, which would have needed 140 valids by August 20.

Flowers was previously mayor from 1998-2006. Petitioners claim a misuse of office and malfeasance. No word on specifics.

Michigan: Appeal denied in Benton Harbor recall fraud case

The charges against Reverend Edward Pinkney for altering signature dates on a Benton Harbor recall effort will stand. Pinkey is set to go on trial on July 21.

Trinidad and Tobago consider adopting recall law

Trinidad and Tobago's main opposition People's National Movement has announced its opposition to an attempt by the People's Partnership government to introduce a recall at the national level. The petitions would require 10%. The PNM seems to feel the recall is being pushed due to the coming elections.

Phillipines: Recall of Cagayan de Oro Mayor not likely to go forward due to costs

The recall attempt against Cagayan de Oro City mayor Oscar Moreno may not go forward because the city is claiming they don't have the money for it. The would need to first check out the 71.500 signatures. The law apparently requires them to budget for recalls, so unclear how whether this is just politics.

Minnesota: Duluth City Council member under fire

A recall campaign is starting against second-term Duluth City Councilor Sharla Gardner. Petitioners need 585 signatures (25% of turnout) to start the recall process. The precipitating issue seems to Gardner's support for a rerouting of traffic plan and the designation of different beach accesses.

I have been under the impression that Minnesota has not held a recall -- the state adopted a recall law in 1996, but there is a very high malfesance standard to meet to get it on the ballot. However, I was mistaken. Apparently, there are much easier local recall laws -- It appears that Duluth's traces back to 1912. The article notes the last Duluth recall:

If the campaign to oust Gardner proves successful, she will become the first Duluth City Councilor to be recalled since Thomas Agnew II, who was removed from office in 1978. Agnew, an attorney, also was disbarred a few years later.

California: Laguna Woods Board of Directors survives recall vote

I'm never sure how to classify recalls like these, but we'll keep tracking none-the-less:

A recall campaign in Laguna Woods Village (a community for 55 and over) retained the 11 member board of directers, with a 2,132 to 925 vote. There were also 195 abstentions, 19 blank ballot and 3 overvotes, turnout was 52.3%. From the write-up, it looks like there was just one vote (which wouldn't happen in a regular recall -- each candidate would be voted on separately), but that may just be in the interest of space.

The issue seems to be the management company that runs the village. Note this is not the first time there's been a recall there. Here's some coverage of a 2009 fight. And here's some of the more heated literature on this race.

Massachussetts: A not entirely accurate look at the Hanson recall

A follow-up on last week's Hanson recall of Selectman Stephen Amico, who lost the recall 1,175 to 449, and then ran and lost the replacement vote 1,183-417 (and the recall of James Egan in May).
The article cites the executive director of the Minnock Center for International Engagement at Bridgewater State University, who has a number of incorrect statements about recalls.

For one, there is a claim (not in a direct quote) that "it was unusual to see a recall election take place at the local level," and that (again, not a direct quote) "[T]ypically, recall campaigns are leveled against high-ranking state officials, like governors or state legislators who have committed some type of wrongdoing."

“It is usually over corruption or some type of malfeasance in office where somebody has clearly broken the law either personally or while in office."

Anyone who follows this blog knows these statements are incorrect. The vast, vast majority of recalls are of local officials (in fact, very few have been launched against state level officials), and most recalls are not about corruption, but instead just about local issues.

Arizona: Cave Creek recall proponent asks -- How Much Justice Can You Afford?

A great follow-up on the Cave Creek recalls, which were cancelled due to a court ruling. One of the petitioners, Janet Mohr, had this to say, which points to one of the issues with recall fights that go to the judiciary:

Could it have been won with about $20,000 paid to even a fairly adequate attorney? I think yes. Who in their right mind would spend $20,000 +/- for a job to sit on the Cave Creek council? 

Navajo Nation: Chapter President recalled

The Navajo Nation's Tiis Tsoh Sikaad Chapter, which recalled President Lester Begay on May 5, will vote on a replacement on July 8. 

Begay issued a 4-page press release on June 29, in which he denied the allegations and accusations made against him by chapter administrative assistant Paula Begay and her husband Gene Benally; vice president Arthur Yazzie and his wife Genevieve Yazzie; the chapter's community land-use planning committee president Patty Chee; former chapter presidents Albert Davis and Harrison LaMone; and former chapter vice president Perry Begay Sr.
In the press release, Lester Begay stated that Arthur Yazzie would "sabotage" projects he proposed to improve the community and that the recall petition was led by Genevieve Yazzie.

Michigan: Petition rejected against Marquette commissioners

A recall attempt against Marquette Commissioners Sarah Reynolds, Michael Coyne and Dave Campana over their votes for a boathouse for the Upper Peninsula Community Rowing Club was rejected on factual grounds.

California: Moreno Valley Councilwoman recall gets on the ballot

The recall against Moreno Valley Councilwoman Victoria Baca has enough signatures to make the ballot. Petitioners handed in 2817 valids, they needed 2547 (20% of registereds). This will be the second recall in Moreno Valley, as Mayor Tom Owings was ousted last month. Another member resigned last year under indictment. It sounds like the recall will probably be held on Election Day.

The recall comes after Baca and other council members had their homes raided by federal and local investigators. No charges have been filed, and the recall proponents instead cite to her opposition to sobriety checkpoints, her support of Owings and a vote to transfer library money to a road project.

This was the second recall attempt against Baca. The first failed to get enough signatures to bother handing in.

Wisconsin: Crandon recall set for July 29th

Crandon Mayor Rob Jaeger is facing a recall vote on July 29. This vote was scheduled after the city council refused to schedule the recall. Crandon recently changed the mayoral term from 2 to 4 years, so this is (unofficially, and not intentionally) part of the old theory that recalls should be used in conjunction with an expansion of the term length for elected officials.