Michigan: Albion Mayor Pro Tem recall effort ongoing

Mayor Pro Tempore Sonya Brown is facing a recall over the removal of the head of the Albion Public Safety Department. This has been ongoing since at least December.

Update: The language was approved

Missouri: St. Louis mayor facing recall effort led by two Alderman over merger plan

Mayor Lyda Krewson is facing a petition effort over her support for a plan to merge St. Louis and St. Louis County. The recall effort is led by Aldermen Brandon Bosley and John Collins-Muhammad. Petitioners would need about 39,000 signatures to get the recall on the ballot. The president of the Board of Alderman would step up to the mayoralty until a replacement race.

California: Contra Costa Superior Court Judges facing recall effort

Judges Jill Fannin, Lois Haight and Rebecca Hardie are also facing a recall efforts, with petitioners claiming that they have enough against Haight and are close to getting enough signatures to get the recall against Hardie on the ballot. Petitioners have until March 12 to submit the signatures. The issue is problems with the family court -- seemingly about adoption and foster care. Not clear how many signatures are needed.

This would be the second recall of a judge since 1932 -- the last one taking place last year in Santa Clara County against Judge Aaron Persky.

New Jersey: Rockaway Township Councilman, Acting Mayor facing recall efforts

Councilman Victor Palumbo is facing a recall effort over complaints about his vote, including votes against former Mayor Michael Dachisen and Councilman John Quinn taking health benefits. Petitioners would need 724 signatures to get to the ballot.

Acting Mayor Jeremy Jedynak (R) is also facing a recall effort, with one of the leaders being the widow of his immediate predecessor, Mayor Michael Dachisen (R). Dachisen died on August 15 of a heart attack, leading to Jedynak taking over. The issue is claims of hostile behavior. Jednyak is accused of calling a special council meeting the day after the funeral in "an effort to replace the municipal attorney."

Petitioners need about 4564 signatures to get that recall on the ballot.

California: Two Malibu Councilmembers facing recall effort

Councilmemebers Rick Mullen and Skylar Peak are facing a recall effort led by the Editor in Chief of a local newspaper (called The Local) over their support for the City Manager and Public Safety Manager. The push to remove the managers is over the Woolsey Fire -- and claims that Peak spends most of his time outside the city.

Petitioners need 2289 signatures in 90 days.

Massachusetts: Former Hadley Select Board member running for office for ninth time since being kicked out in recall vote

John Mieczkowski Sr. was kicked off the Select Board 17 years ago n February 2002, and has run to get back on eight times -- all unsuccessfully. Mieczkowski also served on the board in the 1980s and currently serves on the Planning Board (he also won an election to the former Sewer Commission).

Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation looking to adopt new Constitution with recall provision

Here

Canada: MLA blasts plan to add recall to Alberta

Here

California: More on closed marijuana operation push to recall Pasadena Councilman

More on the attempted recall of Councilman Victor Gordo, with further claims that the recall effort is led by a closed marijuana operation. Petitioners would need about 2000 signatures. The original petition to start the process was signed by 88 people, of whom only 35 actually lived in the district (they only needed 25).

Update: Petitioners continue to have trouble getting past the first stage

UK: Labour Party discussing expanding recall to MPs who leave party

After eight Labour MPs quit, Labour is now discussing allowing recalls of MPs who switch parties.

Wisconsin: Two Flambeau School Board members kicked out in recall vote

School board President Sam Stewart and clerk Danielle Zimmer were both voted out of office, with Stewart losing 451-284 to Sara Baker and Zimmer losing to Ruth Opachan 444-295. The recall was over claims of disrespectful comments and a host of other complaints has gotten the signatures.

In July, petitioners handed in 481-482 signatures, but the petition was thrown out for improper documentation. That recall also included  Patrick Anderson.

Idaho: Sugar City Mayor and Councilman up for recall vote on March 12

Mayor David Ogden and Councilman Brent Barrus will be facing a recall vote on March 12 over legal costs for rezoning of property that is the cause of a significant battle in town.

Hawaii: Hawaii County Recall law discussed in potential charter change

I (and Ballotpedia) have been trying to keep track of how many states have recalls on the local level. The answer is not a simple one, but we had settled on 38 states. But that seems to be off by at least one -- Hawaii's Hawaii County seems to have a recall provision -- Article XII of the charter seemingly adopted in 1979. The recall requires signatures totaling 25% of turnout and petitioners have between 90-120 days (depending on the position). It has one interesting feature -- there is what we can call a turnout veto (other countries have it like Romania and Warsaw, Poland). The vote must top 50% of the vote cast for that office in the last election for it to work (meaning, if 10,000 were cast for all candidates in a 2018 election, the recall must have 5001 votes cast -- either for or against -- for the recall to count). So supporters of the official are usually better off not turning out at all.

This issue came up in an oped/letter from former County Councilwoman Brenda Ford about the Hawaii County Charter Commission, which is considering moving from a two-year to a four-year term. Note that the same issue of increase term length was a motivator in the adoption of the recall in some jurisdictions in the Progressive Era.

Canada: BC Speaker of the Legislature recall effort on hold

The recall attempt against Speaker Darryl Plecas (I) is now on hold after he released a "bombshell" report on legislative expenses that has won him plaudits.

Plecas defected from the Liberals to the minority NDP government. Petitioners would need 16400 signatures to get on the ballot. Plecas won with 52.48% of the vote in 2017.mpaign.

California: Dublin school board trustee forced to step down by signature campaign

Not actually a recall, but an interesting adjacent event. Niranjana "Nini" Natarajan was forced to leave the school board after 75 signatures were handed in. Natarajan was appointed to the board following the resignation of another member. However, the voters had the ability to cause of vacancy for a seat filled by an appointment if they submitted enough signatures. Because the school board switched to a district based (rather than an at-large) system, the amount of signatures needed to trigger this provision was very small.

Dublin has had recent recall threats against a school board member and other officials.

Canada: Alberta's UCP leader announces party platform including recall law

United Conservative Party leader Jason Kenney is proposing a recall law as part of their platform for the Alberta provincial election. Kenney is also proposing a ban on MLAs switching parties, which I always find an interesting phenomena.

The proposed recall law would require signatures of 40% of eligible voters and couldn't be started until 18 months into the term. This is a very high barrier and it mimics the British Columbia recall law, which I believe has not been used to remove an official since its adoption in 1991.

Arizona: History of the State's adoption of the Recall

Here's a look at the fight over Arizona's adoption of the recall. Famously, President William Howard Taft refused to sign the state's Constitution (passed at a 1910 constitutional convention) in 1911 because it contained a provision that allowed for recall of judges.  Arizona removed the provision and it was signed on February 14, 1912. Then, the people added back in the recall of judges provision.

This article notes that one of the major convention delegates was Democrat Jacob Weinberger, later a US District Court judge in San Diego. This article talks about Weinberger's life.

Ohio: Newton Falls Councilman, who lost office in 1992 recall, facing new vote

The recall against Councilman John Baryak (who was removed in a recall in 1992) is being put before the Board of Elections. They will be debating whether to put the recall on the May primary ballot. No word on the recall effort against Mayor Lyle Wadddell. Former Mayor Patrick Layshock is running as a write-in for the council. Layshock was removed in a recall vote in 2010 and replaced by Waddell.

Washington: Cathlamet petitions thrown out; petitioners promise appeal

Petitioners have appealed a decision to toss out the recall effort against Mayor Dale Jacobson and Council members Sue Cameron, Ryan Smith and Jean Burnham. Since Washington is a Malfeasance Standard/Judicial Recall state, a judge was required to pass muster before the recall was allowed to go forward. The judge threw out the recall.

The recall is over a vote to buy a parking lot from a former council member (the price was $68,000 and an independent appraisal put it at $40,000).

Colorado: Fort Morgan Councilmember resigns in face of recall

Councilmembers Dan Marler resigned rather than face a recall - petitioners appeared to have enough signatures to get on the ballot. The position will be filled by an appointment by the council.

The issue was a vote to allow the City Manager to return to work after he was charged with third degree assault (which was over slamming the brakes while the manager was in the car with his daughter). The Manager was found not guilty in the trial. One of the recall leaders is a former council member.

Still no word on the recall efforts against Councilmembers Kevin Lindell and Lisa Northrup.