Michigan: "Recall fever takes hold in Gaines Township"

Great piece by Eric Dresden on the explosion of recalls in Gaines Township -- 12 in a community of 6,700 since November. Of course, one of the big issues is the change in Michigan law, specifically the factual requirement. This appears (I don't have data) to result in more attempts being rejected by Election Boards.

Treasurer Diane Hyrman and Clerk Michael Dowler are facing petitions, though the board rejected an attempt against Supervisor Chuck Melki.  Here's some details on the fight:

Melki, Treasurer Diane Hyrman and Clerk Michael Dowler all attribute the tide of recalls to the day Melki took office two years ago.

After unseating then-Supervisor Paul Fortino, Melki found the filing cabinets and desk drawers empty in his new township office.

After the threat of a police report, five recycling bins filled with papers showed up in Melki's office days later, with no explanation of what happened.

Dowler told board members that he took the papers.

The recalls against Melki (three rejections so far); Hyrman (five attempts, last one approved) are about votes to put a police millage on the ballot. The recalls on Dowler (four attempts, the last one approved) is over the disappearance of the files.