North Dakota: Dickinson Commissioner recall set for March 11

The recall election against Dickinson Commissioner Jason Fridrich has been set for March 11. The ones against Mayor Scott Decker and Commissioner John Odermann failed. There is a question on how many signatures were needed due to whether to follow the ND Code or the Home Rule Charter. Dickinson's Home Rule Charter required 15% of voters versus 25% in the state Code. The recall is over a claim that he did not properly take the oath of office.

Petitioners needed 724 for Decker and Odermann and 424 for Fridrich.

Here's an op-ed denouncing the recall effort:

What will we have achieved as a city? Nothing. What will we have gained in the process? A waste of taxpayer dollars, a black eye for the city and a dangerous precedent that personal grievances and procedural nitpicking can unseat anyone who dares to lead.

Recalls are a vital safeguard in our republic. But, like any tool, they must be used responsibly and for their intended purpose. A recall’s purpose is to protect citizens from officials who abuse their office or blatantly violate their responsibilities — not to settle petty disagreements or advance personal agendas. This recall reeks of the latter and should dishearten all of us.