Recall
Kansas City voters may have a chance to recall the city’s Mayor if recall supporters are successful at collecting the 17,000 signatures necessary to trigger an election. Final petitions are due in to the city clerk on Monday.
Citizen led reform is a priority for Illinois Governor Pat Quinn. He is working against the clock to push through his top issues before the official end of the state’s legislative session.
Quinn, who is trying to create a stark difference between himself and his predecessor, the disgraced Rob Blagojevich, is making his mark as a reformer. At the top of his “must-do” list are ethics reform, passing a recall measure, public financing and allowing citizens to use binding referendums to enact reform when lawmakers do not.
The Illinois Reform Commission published its “100-Day Report” outlining recommendations for stanching statewide political corruption. The commission’s report was requested by Ill. Gov. Pat Quinn and aims to find concrete way to reform the ilinois government.
The Commission failed to find consensus on one reform measure the Governor is advocating, the power of recall. Discussing the recall process Quinn said, “That’s the ultimate way to get ethics in government.”
The Coos Bay World answers the reader’s question “I want to know what happens with the recall election ballots. Where are the mail-in ballots stored as election workers bring them to the courthouse leading up to the election?” here.
An effort to recall Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner has collected almost 20,000 valid signatures to put the recall question on the Nov. 3rd ballot. 19,753 signatures were required to trigger the recall effort. If recalled, Finkbeiner will leave office with about two months left in his term.
59th California District Assemblyman Anthony Adams was handed recall papers at a fundraising event where Gov. Arnold Swarzenegger was in attendance. Adams is targeted because of his vote to increase taxes.
A group of citizens attempting to recall the mayor of Akron is set to turn in signatures today. Recall supporters must have 3,179 valid signatures to trigger a recall election. If the signature threshold is met, the mayor will have five days to resign. If he doesn’t resign, a recall election will be scheduled for 40-60 days after.
A group of Wisconsinites has formed a committee to explore recalling governor Jim Doyle. Recall supporters would need to collect over 500,000 signatures within 60 days of formally beginning their collection efforts.
Augusta County residents have mounted an effort to recall five county supervisors who voted to approve unpopular tax assessments. Virginia does not have a traditional recall process, and signatures will go before a judge who will determine if the supervisors have been derelict in their duties. Recall leaders will have to collect signatures of 10% of the voters who voted in the original supervisors election.
A group attempting to recall four members of the Board of Education have secured Dodge County’s first-ever recall application. The group leading the recall has 15 days to collect signatures and then must reappear before a judge.
Citizens in Charge is calling on Virginia Governor Tim Kaine to sign HB 2465/ SB 1394 into law. HB 2465/SB 1394 would protect citizens who petition for removal of a public official from arbitrary sanctions and technical dismissals. The legislation is a response to the case of several Gloucester citizens who were fined $80,000 in legal fees after their attempt to remove several officials was thrown out on a technicality.
State Rep. Allen Treadaway, R-51st, announced last week in a press release that he will file a bill prior to the 2009 legislative session that will provide for a recall process to remove elected officials at the state and county levels.
Under current Alabama law, only municipal officials are subject to recall.
“Accountability by elected officials to the taxpayers is the key to good government,” Treadaway said.